PA UC claim stuck with examiner for weeks - normal wait time?
I've been waiting for over 3 weeks since my PA unemployment claim got assigned to a claims examiner. The online status just says "under review" but nothing's changing. Is this normal? How long does it typically take for examiners to make a decision? I've tried calling but keep getting busy signals. My rent is due next week and I'm starting to panic a little. Anyone else dealt with claims examiners recently? How long did your review process take?
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Amina Diallo
Mine took 5 weeks with the examiner before getting approved. It's normal, unfortunately. The system is crazy backed up right now because they're short-staffed. If you need to talk to someone urgently about your claim status, try calling right when they open at 8am or try Claimyr.com - it helped me get through after weeks of busy signals. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2
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CosmicCowboy
•5 weeks?! Ugh, I can't wait that long. Did they give you any backpay for the weeks you were waiting? And thanks for the Claimyr suggestion, I'll check it out.
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Oliver Schulz
waited 2 months for mine lol welcome to PA UC hell
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CosmicCowboy
•2 MONTHS?? How did you survive financially? Did you at least get paid for all those waiting weeks?
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Natasha Orlova
The standard processing time for claims examiners is actually 21 days according to PA UC guidelines, but with current backlogs, it's taking 4-8 weeks for many people. Make sure you're still filing your weekly claims during this waiting period! When they do approve you (assuming they do), you'll get paid for all those back weeks at once, but only if you've been filing regularly. Also, double-check that your claim doesn't have any "open issues" that need additional documentation - that can extend the wait time significantly.
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CosmicCowboy
•Thank you - I've definitely been filing every week. How do I check for "open issues"? I don't see anything like that on my dashboard, but maybe I'm looking in the wrong place?
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Natasha Orlova
To check for open issues, log into your PA UC dashboard and look under the "Claim Summary" section. There should be a status indicator that would mention any open issues. If it just says "under review" or "pending examiner decision" without mentioning specific issues, then they likely have all the information they need and it's just in the queue.
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Javier Cruz
•thats not right. sometimes the open issues dont show up on the dashboard. happened to me and i waited 6 weeks before calling and finding out they needed my w2 which noone ever told me!!! always call!!!
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Emma Wilson
THEY'RE DOING THIS ON PURPOSE!!!! They make you wait hoping you'll give up and stop claiming. I had to wait 9 WEEKS and then they denied me for a "missing phone interview" THAT I NEVER GOT NOTIFIED ABOUT!!! Had to appeal and wait ANOTHER 6 weeks. The system is DESIGNED to frustrate people into giving up. Keep calling EVERY DAY even if you get busy signals. Eventually you'll get through if you start calling at 7:55am and keep redialing.
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Malik Thomas
•This happened to my cousin too! They said she missed some document deadline but she never got any notice about it. The system is totally broken.
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NeonNebula
I was in this same situation back in January. My claim was with the examiner for about 7 weeks total. I tried calling every day but couldn't get through. I finally contacted my state representative's office (just Google your local PA state rep), and they have staff who can contact UC directly on your behalf. Within 3 days of contacting my rep, my claim was suddenly approved. Might be worth a try while you're waiting!
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CosmicCowboy
•That's a great idea! I never thought about contacting my state rep. Did you just call their office? What information did they need from you?
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NeonNebula
•Yep, just called their district office (not their Harrisburg office). They had me fill out a consent form allowing them to inquire about my case, and I had to provide my claim number, last 4 of SSN, and explain my situation. Super easy and they were really helpful. Can't guarantee it'll work as fast for everyone, but it definitely seemed to bump my claim up in priority.
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Isabella Costa
My sisters boyfriend works for UC and he says they're like 13,000 claims behind right now because they lost like half their staff last year when the funding got cut. He says the average wait is 6-8 weeks for regular claims and even longer if there's any issues or if you worked for multiple employers. Sorry not more helpful just sharing what I know
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Oliver Schulz
•yet they keep saying on the news that unemployment is down and everything's fine lol
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Amina Diallo
Quick update on my earlier comment - if your financial situation is getting desperate while waiting, make sure you apply for other assistance too. PA 211 can connect you with rent assistance programs, and you might qualify for emergency SNAP benefits that can be processed faster than your UC claim. Don't wait until you're completely out of money to look into these options.
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CosmicCowboy
•Thank you - I'll definitely look into PA 211. Appreciate the tip.
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Natasha Orlova
Just to clarify some misinformation in this thread: The PA UC system is definitely backed up, but there is no intentional delaying of claims. The main issues are staffing shortages and an outdated computer system. Also, for the original poster: Make sure you're filing your biweekly claims properly during this waiting period, and double-check that your job search activities are being recorded correctly (you need to be doing at least 2 work search activities per week). Many claims get delayed because of job search requirement issues.
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Emma Wilson
•Oh please! If you believe there's no intentional delays, I've got a bridge to sell you! Why do they make it IMPOSSIBLE to get through on the phone then?? And how come they never send notifications about "missing documents" until AFTER the deadline?? WAKE UP!
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