PA UC claim stuck in review for 6 weeks - escalated but still waiting

omg my claim took 8 WEEKS last year!!! PA UC is THE WORST. they had me under review because my employer disputed my hours or something stupid. i kept calling and calling and finally got through after like a month of trying. turns out they were just waiting on some form from my employer who never sent it in!! you gotta keep calling them every single day. the squeaky wheel gets the grease with these people. don't trust that 'escalation' either - they told me that 3 times and NOTHING happened!!

Unfortunately, this has become increasingly common with PA UC claims in 2025. The standard determination period is supposed to be 14-21 days, but many claims are taking 6-8 weeks or longer. When they 'escalate' a claim, it typically takes 7-10 business days for that escalation to be processed. A few things to know: 1. Continue filing your weekly claims on time 2. If approved, you'll receive backpay for all eligible weeks 3. Check your dashboard for any correspondence or requested documents 4. Make sure you're completing your work search activities (at least 2 per week) If you need to reach them again to check status, try calling exactly at 7:59am when the queue opens, or right after lunch at 12:59pm when they return from break.

I had a similar situation in January. My claim sat in review for almost 7 weeks because my former employer contested it (I was laid off, they claimed I quit). What finally worked for me was using Claimyr to get through to a real person. It's this service that connects you directly to a UC agent instead of dealing with busy signals and disconnects. I used their video demo (https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2) to see how it worked, then went to claimyr.com and was connected to an agent in about 20 minutes. The agent was able to see exactly what was holding up my claim and pushed it through to a supervisor for immediate review. Got my determination letter 3 days later and backpay the following week.

Wait has anyboyd actaully had any luck with those escalations? I've been waiting 10 weeks. They escalated my claim THREE times now. Still nothing. Starting to think its just a thing they say to shut us up lol

I experienced a 9-week review period last quarter. The issue was that my employer had reported different wages than what I had claimed. Here's what I learned from the process: 1. "Escalation" has different priority levels that aren't disclosed to claimants 2. Your state representative's office can help expedite truly stuck claims 3. If you have documentation proving your case, upload it to your dashboard proactively 4. Certain issues (wage disputes, voluntary quit allegations, availability questions) take longer than others In my case, I finally contacted my state rep's constituency services, and they got it resolved within a week. Don't wait as long as I did to take that step. Their office deals with UC issues constantly and has direct contacts.

@OP I saw your reply about Claimyr. Yes, it definitely works - that's how I finally got through after weeks of busy signals. When you get connected, make sure to specifically ask the agent: 1) What exactly is holding up your claim, 2) What documentation they need from you, and 3) Ask them to note in the system that you've been waiting 6+ weeks for determination. The trick is getting to someone who can actually see the notes on your claim rather than the first-level phone people who can only tell you generic information.

Just to update everyone - the current backlog for PA UC determinations as of April 2025 is approximately 24,700 claims according to the latest department report. Claims with simple issues are being processed in about 3-4 weeks, while more complex issues (employer disputes, eligibility questions, etc.) are taking 6-10 weeks. They've supposedly added additional staff to address the backlog, but we're still seeing these extended delays. One important note: if your financial situation is dire while waiting, you can request a "Hardship Advancement" by submitting form UC-80H through your dashboard. This doesn't guarantee approval, but can expedite your case if you're facing eviction, utility shutoff, or medical emergency.

pro tip: call your state rep AND your state senator. do both. my claim was stuck for 12 weeks (!!!) and nothing worked until i called my state senators office. had my determination in 3 days after that. they have special contacts at UC that regular people dont have access to. dont waste time with the regular UC phone lines anymore

Update: I took several of your suggestions! I contacted my state rep's office yesterday and they were super helpful. They took all my info and said they'd send an inquiry to their contact at UC. I also found that UC-80H hardship form and submitted it with documentation about my rent situation. AND I used Claimyr this morning to finally get through to someone. The agent confirmed my claim has an 'employer response issue' but said it was now marked as escalated with priority status. Fingers crossed something happens soon. Will update when I hear anything!