PA UC claim stuck on 'Unsatisfactory Work Performance' issue - how long until resolution?

same thing happened to me back in november except my issue was attendance related. took almost 6 weeks to get resolved and i had to call them like 20 times before someone finally looked at it!!

When they flag your claim for 'Unsatisfactory Work Performance,' they need to determine if your actions rose to the level of willful misconduct. This requires investigation and often an interview with both you and your former employer. The typical timeframe for resolving these types of issues is 4-6 weeks, but it can vary widely depending on current backlog and staffing at the PA UC offices. You should proactively gather any documentation that supports your side of the story - performance reviews, understaffing documentation, any emails about workload concerns, etc. If you haven't received an interview notice yet, you likely will soon. Be prepared to explain why your performance issues were not willful misconduct but rather related to workplace conditions beyond your control.

They contact u both ways usually. I got a letter AND a phone call for my interview when i had an issue with my claim last year. Make sure ur phone can accept calls from unknown numbers!!

I HAD THE EXACT SAME ISSUE!! My employer said I wasn't meeting sales targets but they kept raising them every month! It was IMPOSSIBLE! The PA UC system is DESIGNED to side with employers and make us wait forever. I waited 7 weeks with no communication, then finally got a letter scheduling my interview for the following week. After the interview it took another 2 weeks to get a decision. That's 10 WEEKS TOTAL of no income while they "investigated" whether I deserved benefits that I PAID INTO with my taxes!!! The system is BROKEN!!!

I had a similar issue with my claim in January 2025. 'Unsatisfactory Work Performance' issues require adjudication because they need to determine if your performance issues were within your control or if there were mitigating circumstances (like the understaffing you mentioned). I was able to reach a PA UC representative using Claimyr (claimyr.com) after two weeks of trying to call myself with no luck. They connected me to a UC agent in about 20 minutes who reviewed my case and scheduled my interview right on the spot. They even have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 After my interview was scheduled, things moved much faster. The whole process still took about 5 weeks total, but at least I knew what was happening instead of being in limbo. Make sure you clearly explain how the understaffing affected your ability to meet performance standards during your interview. Good luck!

Thanks everyone for your responses. I'm going to try calling them tomorrow morning. I didn't realize this process would take so long! I'll start gathering my documentation too - luckily I kept some emails about our staffing shortages and patient-to-staff ratios that were way above industry standards. If I can't get through on the phone, I might try that Claimyr service - at this point I just need to know what's happening with my claim.

My cousin works at the unemployment office and says they're super backed up right now because of all the healthcare layoffs happening across PA. She said they prioritize claims by filing date and then by the type of issue, and unfortunately performance issues take longer because they need statements from both sides. She suggested calling right when they open at 8am on Wednesdays - apparently that's when they have the most staff on the phones for some reason lol.

call the one for your region first, if that dont work then try the statewide number. thats what I did. took me 143 calls but finally got thru! lol

When I applied in 2023 I had a similar issue and it took almost 2 months to resolve. What ended up working was contacting my state representative's office. They have liasons who can reach out to UC directly and sometimes speed things up. Worth a try if you're really stuck!

Quick update for others who might be dealing with this issue: PA UC has streamlined some of their adjudication processes in 2025. For 'Unsatisfactory Work Performance' issues specifically, they now have a questionnaire they sometimes send through your dashboard before scheduling a full interview. If you receive this, complete it immediately as it can significantly speed up your claim. Another important note - if your employer doesn't respond to UC's inquiry within 10 business days, UC is supposed to make a determination based solely on your information. So sometimes the delay is simply waiting for employer response.

theres no way to check if they contacted ur employer yet, its all behind the scenes. the system is designed to be confusing on purpose i swear

UPDATE: You guys aren't going to believe this. I finally got through on the phone this morning after trying for 2 hours (started calling at 7:55am). The rep told me my claim was actually already approved LAST WEEK but there was a glitch in the system that didn't update the status online!! My payments are being processed now and should hit my account in 2-3 business days. I'm so relieved but also frustrated that I've been stressing for no reason. Make sure you keep calling even if your online status doesn't change!!

This is a great reminder that the online system doesn't always reflect the current status accurately. For anyone else dealing with long waits on 'Unsatisfactory Work Performance' issues (or any open issues), persistence is key. Keep filing your weekly claims even while waiting for resolution, check your dashboard regularly, and try to speak with a representative when possible. Glad to hear your claim was approved! Remember to continue filing weekly claims and completing your work search activities to maintain your benefits.

Wow, what a rollercoaster! Congratulations on getting approved - that must be such a huge relief after all that stress and uncertainty. Your story is actually really helpful for others going through the same thing. It shows how important it is to keep pushing and calling even when the online system looks stuck. I'm dealing with a different issue type on my claim right now (monetary determination) and this gives me hope that things can get resolved even when it feels hopeless. Thanks for taking the time to update everyone - posts like this really help the community!

This is such valuable information for anyone going through this process! I'm actually a case worker at a local workforce development center and I see people dealing with these exact issues all the time. Your experience highlights two really important points: 1) the online system can have serious delays or glitches that don't reflect reality, and 2) persistence with phone calls really does pay off, even though it's exhausting. I always tell my clients to keep detailed records of when they call and what they're told, because sometimes you get different information from different reps. For anyone else reading this thread who's dealing with performance-related issues, remember that PA unemployment law requires them to prove "willful misconduct" - just not meeting expectations due to understaffing or impossible standards usually doesn't meet that threshold. Thanks for sharing your update - success stories like this give people hope when they're in the thick of it!

I'm currently going through a similar situation with my PA UC claim - also healthcare worker (medical technician) with a performance-related issue that's been pending for about 2 weeks now. Your story gives me so much hope! It's really encouraging to hear that these issues can actually get resolved favorably, especially when the circumstances were beyond your control like understaffing. I've been checking my dashboard obsessively every day but after reading about your experience, I'm definitely going to start calling more aggressively. Did you notice any pattern with what times of day you had better luck getting through? I've mostly been trying in the afternoons but maybe I should switch to early morning like others suggested. Thanks for sharing your journey and congratulations on getting approved - stories like yours are exactly what people in limbo need to hear!

Just wanted to jump in here as someone who went through a very similar situation last year. I was a CNA at a nursing home and got terminated for "performance issues" after patients complained, but like you, it was really about being severely understaffed - we were running 1 aide to 20 residents on some shifts when it should have been 1 to 8 max. My PA UC claim took about 5 weeks to resolve with the same "Unsatisfactory Work Performance" flag. The key thing that helped me was having documentation of the staffing ratios and any emails or texts I had sent to supervisors about being overwhelmed. During my phone interview, I was able to clearly explain that my performance issues weren't due to unwillingness to work but because of impossible working conditions. Since you mentioned you have emails about staffing shortages and patient ratios, that's going to be really valuable evidence. The adjudicator needs to see that your performance issues weren't "willful misconduct" but rather a result of systemic workplace problems. Healthcare workers are getting approved more often lately because the understaffing crisis is so well-documented. Your update about getting approved is awesome! It's such a relief when you finally get through that bureaucratic maze. Hopefully your experience will encourage others to keep calling even when the online system looks stuck.

I'm so glad you got approved and shared your update! This whole thread has been incredibly informative. As someone who's been lurking on this community for a while, I really appreciate when people come back to update their posts with the resolution. It's so frustrating how the PA UC online system can show one thing when the reality is completely different - that "glitch" you experienced seems to happen way too often to be just a coincidence. Your persistence with calling really paid off. For anyone else dealing with performance-related issues, this thread is like a masterclass in what to expect and how to handle it. The early morning calling strategy, keeping documentation, and not trusting the online status are all gold nuggets of advice. Thanks for taking the time to help others going through the same stressful situation!

This entire thread has been so helpful to read through! As someone who's currently waiting on a different type of UC issue (separation pay), seeing the real experiences and timelines gives me hope that persistence really does pay off. The healthcare staffing crisis angle is particularly eye-opening - it makes total sense that performance issues in that industry are often systemic rather than individual failures. @Charlee Coleman congratulations on getting your approval! Your willingness to keep updating this thread with your progress has created such a valuable resource for others. The fact that your claim was actually approved a week before the system showed it really highlights how unreliable the online portal can be. For anyone else reading this who's dealing with performance-related issues, the documentation tips and early morning calling strategy seem to be the key takeaways. It's also reassuring to see that PA UC does recognize when workplace conditions contribute to performance problems. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community support makes such a stressful process feel more manageable!