PA UC case timing nightmare - can I exhaust all 26 weeks before my issue resolves?

No, you won't lose those weeks. If your claim is eventually approved, you'll receive backpay for all the weeks you properly filed for while waiting for a decision. The key is to keep filing your weekly claims and documenting your work search activities. Your benefit year lasts for 52 weeks, and you can receive up to 26 weeks of benefits during that time. Employer disputes can definitely take time to resolve, especially if they're contesting your eligibility. The special review usually involves an examiner looking at both sides of the situation before making a determination. Make sure you've provided all documentation they've requested and keep an eye on your dashboard for any new correspondence that might require a response.

its normal. i waited 11 wks. last yr b4 they resolved my claim after my boss said i quit (i was laid off!). keep filing evry week!!!! they will back pay u if aproved

I've been through this exact situation, and yes, it can unfortunately take months to resolve an employer dispute. The important thing is that you continue filing those weekly claims on time. When (and if) your claim is approved, you'll get all the back payments for the weeks you properly claimed. One thing that helped me was to reach out to a state representative's office. They have liaisons who can sometimes expedite UC issues. In my case, it didn't speed things up dramatically but at least I got more information. Also, if you haven't already, check your PA UC dashboard for any fact-finding forms they might want you to complete. Sometimes the delays are because they're waiting on more information from you, and the notification might have gotten missed.

This happened to me and my claim took 17 WEEKS to resolve!!! I had to borrow money from family just to pay rent. But like others said, I did eventually get all my back payments once they approved my claim. The system is completely broken. Keep calling them every few days or they'll forget about your case.

I was in a similar situation last year and found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me actually get through to a PA UC agent on the phone. I kept getting busy signals for weeks, but Claimyr got me connected to a real person who could check my claim status and tell me exactly what was happening. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 Once I actually spoke with someone, I found out my employer had submitted incorrect separation information, and I was able to provide the correct documentation right then. My issue was resolved within 10 days after that call. Before that, I had been waiting almost 9 weeks with no updates.

Yes, the phone agent had access to notes in my file that never appeared on my dashboard. Turns out there was confusion about my last day worked vs. the day I was notified of termination. The agent was able to update this while I was on the phone and move my claim to the next stage of review. The dashboard had just shown "open issue" for weeks with no details.

Has anyone else noticed that the wait times seem to depend on which field office is handling your case? My friend who lives in Pittsburgh had her dispute resolved in like 3 weeks but mine in Philadelphia has been going on for almost 3 months now! It's so unfair that some people are waiting for MONTHS while others get processed quickly. The whole system seems random. I've filed 14 weeks so far with no resolution. It's gotten to the point where I'm worried I'll find a job before they even approve my claim and I'll never see the money I'm entitled to!

To answer your original question specifically: No, you won't "use up" your 26 weeks while waiting for a decision. Your benefit year is 52 weeks long, and within that period, you can receive payments for up to 26 weeks. If your claim is pending for 15 weeks and then gets approved, you'll receive backpay for those 15 weeks, and still have 11 weeks of eligibility remaining in your benefit year. The only way you could potentially "lose" weeks is if your benefit year expires before a decision is made, but that's 52 weeks from your initial filing date, so it's unlikely to be an issue in your case since you mentioned you're only 8 weeks in.

Yes, you absolutely can appeal if your claim is denied. The appeal must be filed within 15 calendar days of the determination date on your notice. If you win the appeal, you'll still get backpay for all the weeks you properly claimed. Make sure you continue filing weekly claims even during the appeal process. This is crucial because if you win your appeal but haven't been filing claims, you won't get payments for weeks you didn't claim. Appeals typically involve a hearing with an Unemployment Compensation Referee where both you and your former employer can present evidence. It's essentially a fresh review of your case.

I'm SO TIRED of PA UC taking FOREVER to resolve claims!!! I was in the EXACT same situation and waited 14 WEEKS before they FINALLY approved my claim. The most frustrating part was that they kept saying "we need more information" but never told me WHAT information!!! The whole thing is designed to make people give up. DON'T GIVE UP!!! Keep filing, keep calling (even though you can never get through), and document EVERYTHING. The day I finally got my determination letter and all my backpay was the best day ever. Almost $7,000 all at once after months of struggling!

I'm going through something similar right now - been waiting 6 weeks for my employer dispute to resolve and it's so stressful not knowing when it will end. Reading all these responses gives me hope that I'll eventually get my backpay, but also terrifies me that I could be waiting months longer! One thing I learned from calling (the few times I got through) is to ask specifically what documentation they need from you. Sometimes they're waiting on something but don't clearly communicate it. Also, I've been keeping a detailed log of every week I file, all my work search activities, and any communication attempts - just in case I need it later. Stay strong everyone dealing with this nightmare system!

I'm in week 12 of waiting for my employer dispute to resolve and this thread is both reassuring and terrifying! It's good to know I won't lose those weeks if my claim gets approved, but hearing about people waiting 17+ weeks makes me want to scream. I've been doing everything right - filing weekly, documenting work searches, calling when I can actually get through (which is basically never). My former employer is claiming I was fired for misconduct when I was clearly laid off due to budget cuts. They even gave me a letter saying it was a layoff, but now they're fighting my claim! Has anyone had success with the state representative contact idea that @MidnightRider mentioned? I'm getting desperate enough to try anything at this point. My credit cards are maxed and I'm running out of options while PA UC takes their sweet time. The fact that some areas process claims in weeks while others take months is absolutely insane. We need to fix this broken system!

I'm currently in week 9 of waiting for my employer dispute resolution and this thread has been incredibly helpful - both reassuring and eye-opening about how long this process can really take. The key takeaway I'm getting is that as long as we keep filing weekly claims, we won't lose those weeks if/when our claims get approved. That's huge relief because I was also worried about "using up" my 26 weeks while waiting. For anyone else going through this nightmare - I've started keeping a spreadsheet tracking every week I file, all my job search activities, and any communication attempts with PA UC. I also screenshot my dashboard weekly just in case there are any discrepancies later. One thing that's helped my sanity is setting a specific day each week to try calling (usually Tuesday mornings) instead of calling randomly throughout the week. Still can't get through most of the time, but at least I'm not driving myself crazy trying every day. The wait is absolutely brutal but seeing people eventually get their backpay after 11-17 weeks gives me hope. We just have to keep pushing through this broken system and not let them wear us down!

I'm currently on week 10 of waiting for my employer dispute to resolve, and this thread has been both a lifesaver and a reality check! Like many of you, I was panicking about potentially "losing" my 26 weeks while waiting for a decision, so it's huge relief to understand that the benefit year is actually 52 weeks and we'll get backpay for all properly filed weeks. My situation is similar - former employer is claiming I quit when I was actually terminated for "performance issues" (which conveniently happened right after I reported safety violations to OSHA). I have email documentation of the real reason, but PA UC is taking forever to review everything. I've been following a lot of the strategies mentioned here: filing every single week religiously, keeping detailed records of all work search activities, and trying to call on a set schedule (Wednesdays seem to work better for me than other days). Still haven't gotten through to a human yet though! The idea about contacting state representatives is definitely going on my list if I hit the 12-week mark. It's absolutely ridiculous that we need to resort to political pressure just to get basic updates on our own claims, but here we are. Hang in there everyone - we've got this! The system is broken but we can't let them wear us down.