PA UC claim stuck on 'unsatisfactory performance' issue for 6 weeks - employer not responding

mine was stuck on unsatisfactory performance for 8 weeks!! employer said i was on my phone too much but NEVER gave me any warnings. UC finally approved me but only after I waited foreverrr. they give employers like 10 days to respond and if they dont, UC is supposed to make a decision without them but that almost NEVER happens on time. if u havent already, upload all ur work documents to ur dashboard - anything that shows u were doing ur job ok

Unsatisfactory performance issues typically take longer because UC examiner needs to evaluate whether your actions meet the threshold for willful misconduct. Under PA UC law, employer has burden of proof for misconduct cases but if they don't respond, UC should eventually rule in your favor. One important note - make sure your version of events is documented in the system. Call and ask if you need to submit a written statement about the performance allegations. They may not have asked for your side yet, which could be causing the delay.

i had this happen 2 me… my boss said i had attitude problems lol. took 5 weeks but got approved. just kepe filing weekly claims. if employer dont respond in like 2 weeks its supposed to go in ur favor

THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED AGAINST US!!! Employers get all the time in the world but if WE miss a deadline by ONE DAY we're DENIED!!! I had the EXACT SAME ISSUE last year and it took 11 WEEKS to resolve!!!! The law says they have 21 days to make a determination but they IGNORE their own rules!!!

After struggling with a similar issue (my claim was stuck for about 5 weeks), I discovered a service called Claimyr that helped me actually get through to a PA UC representative instead of dealing with busy signals and disconnections. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 showing how it works. Once I got through to an actual person, they were able to tell me exactly what was holding up my claim and pushed it to a supervisor for review. Got approved a week later and received all my backpay. Sometimes just getting the right person on the phone makes all the difference.

my neighbor works for UC (not telling which office lol) and she says they're super backed up right now with employer fraud cases. that might be why yours is taking longer than normal.

btw dont forget to check ur spam folder for emails from them!!! i almost missed an important message cuz it went to spam and they never called me

To directly answer your question - yes, they will eventually make a determination without employer input. For unsatisfactory performance cases, the burden of proof falls on the employer to demonstrate willful misconduct. If they're not responding at all, this typically works in your favor. Here's what you should do now: 1. Continue filing weekly claims without fail 2. Keep detailed records of all your work search activities 3. Call UC and specifically ask if they need any additional information from YOU to make a determination 4. Request an escalation to a supervisor explaining the hardship the delay is causing 5. If you have any performance reviews or documentation showing you were meeting expectations, upload those to your dashboard under 'Provide Additional Documentation' Once approved, you'll receive all eligible back weeks in a lump sum payment, typically to your Money Network card within 2-3 business days of the determination.

UPDATE: PA UC just announced a new initiative to clear the backlog of claims with employer non-response issues. They're now accelerating determinations on claims over 30 days old where the employer hasn't provided requested information. This started March 1, 2025, so you should see movement on your claim very soon. Be sure your contact information is up to date in the system.

I went through almost the exact same thing last year! My claim was stuck on an "unsatisfactory performance" issue for 7 weeks because my former employer claimed I wasn't meeting productivity standards. Like you, I was doing everything right - filing weekly, doing my work searches, calling constantly. What finally helped was when I called and specifically asked to speak to an examiner about my case instead of just general customer service. The examiner told me that since my employer wasn't providing any documentation to support their claim (no write-ups, no performance improvement plans, nothing), they were going to rule in my favor. Got approved 3 days later and received all my back pay. Don't give up - the system is slow but it does work eventually when employers can't back up their claims with actual evidence.

I'm dealing with something very similar right now! My claim has been stuck on an "unsatisfactory performance" issue for about 4 weeks. My former employer claimed I was "chronically late" but I was never formally written up or given any warnings about attendance. It's so frustrating because I know they're probably just trying to avoid paying higher unemployment taxes. Reading through all these responses is actually really helpful - I had no idea that employers get so much time to respond while we have to jump through hoops immediately. I'm going to try calling and asking specifically for an examiner like @Ethan Brown suggested, and I'll also upload the few positive emails I have from my supervisor to show I was doing good work. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know I'm not alone in this mess!

I'm going through something very similar right now - 4 weeks stuck on an "attendance issue" even though I was never formally disciplined. What's really frustrating is that I keep hearing different timelines from different UC reps when I call. One told me employers have 10 days to respond, another said 21 days, and then someone else mentioned they can request extensions! It's like they make up the rules as they go along. I've been documenting every call I make with dates and what they tell me because the information is so inconsistent. At least from reading everyone's experiences here it seems like most people do eventually get approved when employers can't provide actual documentation. Definitely going to try asking for an examiner specifically next time I call - that seems to be the key based on what others have shared. This whole process is such a nightmare but it helps knowing we're all dealing with the same broken system.