PA UC claim stuck because I was fired - State Rep helped push it through!
Just wanted to share something that actually WORKED after my claim was sitting forever! My PA unemployment claim has been stuck for almost 6 weeks because I was terminated from my position (didn't do anything wrong - company downsized but coded it as termination). I was getting desperate since rent is due next week and no movement on my claim. Someone at church suggested contacting my state representative, which honestly sounded like a waste of time, but I was desperate. I filled out their constituent help form yesterday morning, and to my complete shock, got a call TODAY from their office! The rep said they'd push my claim through to an examiner (apparently termination cases require special review) and I should see movement within a week, definitely not more than two. Has anyone else tried the state rep route? Seriously wish I'd known about this option weeks ago!
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Sara Hellquiem
Yes! State reps are honestly the secret weapon for PA UC claims that are stuck. I got laid off in January and my claim was in limbo for 5 weeks. Called my rep's office and they had it resolved in 8 days. They have special contacts at the unemployment office that regular claimants don't have access to. For anyone reading this - if your claim has been pending more than 3-4 weeks, especially with an "open issue" status, definitely reach out to your state representative.
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Oscar O'Neil
•That's amazing to hear it worked for you too! Did they explain why your claim was stuck in the first place? I'm wondering if all terminations get flagged for review or if something else triggered it.
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Charlee Coleman
wow i had no idea this was a thing!!! been trying to get thru to UC for 3 weeks straight with nothing but busy signals. my claim has something wrong but cant even talk to anyone to fix it
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Liv Park
•If you're struggling to get through on the phone, I've had good results with Claimyr. It's this service that gets you connected to a PA UC agent without spending all day hitting redial. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 that shows how it works. Saved me hours of frustration when I had an issue with my weekly certifications last month. You just go to claimyr.com and they do all the waiting on hold for you, then call you when they have an agent on the line.
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Leeann Blackstein
Unfortunately, cases involving termination do take longer because they require an examiner review. The employer has to provide their side of the story, and then you get to provide yours. The state rep trick sometimes works, but it's not a guarantee. They can only prioritize your claim, not change the decision. Make sure you have all your documentation ready about the termination - any emails, performance reviews, or anything showing it was due to downsizing rather than misconduct. That will be critical when the examiner interviews you.
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Ryder Greene
•This is so true! I was fired back in February and they told me i was let go for attendance but i had doctors notes for EVERYTHING. make sure u save EVERYTHING. my claim took 9 weeks to get approved even with my state rep helping
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Carmella Fromis
I tried contacting my state rep 3 times and they never did ANYTHING for me!!! Left messages, sent emails, filled out their stupid forms. This unemployment system is completely BROKEN and nobody cares. Been waiting since DECEMBER for my benefits and still nothing. Every time I call UC I get hung up on after waiting 2+ hours. The whole system is designed to make you give up!!
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Leeann Blackstein
•I'm sorry you've had such a frustrating experience. Sometimes it depends on which representative you have and how responsive their office is. Another option is to try contacting your state senator instead - some people have better luck with senator offices than representatives. Also, make sure you're documenting every contact attempt you make with both UC and your representatives.
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Theodore Nelson
So I guess the next questions is - how do you find out who your state rep is? I know who my congressperson is but not my state representative.
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Sara Hellquiem
•You can find your PA state representative by going to https://www.legis.state.pa.us/ and clicking on "Find My Legislator" - just enter your address and it will show both your state representative and state senator. Either one can potentially help with unemployment issues, so if one office isn't responsive, try the other.
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Charlee Coleman
does anyone know if being fired for attendance means u dont get benefits?? my boss fired me after i missed 3 days but i was sick and in the hospital for 2 of them
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Leeann Blackstein
•Being fired for attendance doesn't automatically disqualify you from benefits in PA. The key question is whether your absence was due to "willful misconduct." If you were in the hospital and have documentation, that would generally not be considered willful misconduct. Make sure you provide all your hospital documentation to the examiner. Even if you're initially denied, you should definitely appeal with your medical evidence.
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Oscar O'Neil
Update! You guys aren't going to believe this but I just checked my PA UC dashboard and my claim status changed from "pending" to "approved" - less than 48 hours after the state rep called me! Money should hit my account by Tuesday. I'm honestly shocked at how fast this worked after weeks of nothing happening. If anyone is stuck, DEFINITELY contact your state representative!
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Ryder Greene
•Congrats! Thats amazing it worked so fast for u! Wish id known this trick when i was waiting for mine!
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Liv Park
I had a similar situation last year - was let go during a reduction in force but they coded it as termination, which triggered a lengthy review. After waiting over a month with no progress, I found that another effective option besides contacting your state rep is requesting a callback through the PA UC system. You can schedule these through your dashboard, and while they're often booked weeks out, having that scheduled callback puts your claim on someone's radar. When I finally got my callback, the examiner resolved my issue that same day. Worth considering as another approach if the state rep route doesn't work for whatever reason.
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Carmella Fromis
•The callback system is USELESS!!! I scheduled one in JANUARY and they never called! Scheduled another in FEBRUARY and they called while I was in the bathroom and refused to call back! These people don't care about us at all!!!
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