PA UC claim stuck with 'unknown reasons' status after at-will termination - will examiner review my documents?

Don't worry too much about the 'unknown reasons' status - that's just a default category in the system when your situation doesn't fit their dropdown options. The examiner will absolutely review all the documentation you've submitted, including your uploaded explanation and the notes from your phone filing. Typically, once an examiner is assigned, you can expect a determination within 2-3 weeks. PA UC is running somewhat behind their normal schedules in 2025, so it might take up to 4 weeks. The good news is that an 'at-will' termination with no misconduct is generally eligible for benefits. Since your employer already indicated they won't contest it, your chances look good. No additional forms are needed at this point. Just make sure you continue filing your weekly certifications while you wait for the determination.

went thru similar thing last yr with my claim. the dashboard labels are super confusing!!! unknown reasons doesnt mean they dont know, its just how the system categorizes it when theres no official reason given. weird right?? took me about 5 wks to get determination but my boss DID fight it so yours might be faster

My determination took 6 weeks and that was WITH me calling every single day!! PA unemployment is the absolute WORST system I've ever dealt with. Prepare to wait forever and get no answers. Even when you upload documents they probably don't even look at them. The whole thing is a JOKE.

I used a service called Claimyr when I was in a similar situation with my PA UC claim - it helped me get through to an actual person at unemployment to check on my claim status. Saved me hours of redial frustration. I just went to claimyr.com and watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2) and was able to talk to someone at UC within about 30 minutes. They confirmed my documents were received and gave me an estimated timeline for when my examiner would review everything.

Just want to add some clarification about 'at-will' employment as it relates to PA unemployment. 'At-will' means they can terminate you without cause, but that doesn't automatically disqualify you from benefits. For UC purposes, the key question is whether there was any misconduct on your part. If there was no misconduct and the employer isn't contesting, your chances are excellent. The 'unknown reasons' status is just a system limitation. The examiner will see the full context including your uploaded document and the notes from your phone application. Since your employer told you they won't contest, you're in a good position. Just make sure you're available if the examiner calls for any clarification. They sometimes call from blocked numbers, so answer all calls during this period. Also, for a combined wage claim (involving multiple states), processing can take a bit longer - typically 3-5 weeks after examiner assignment in current timeframes.

I went through EXACTLY the same thing last month! My dashboard said 'unknown reasons' too but I got approved after about 3 weeks. Don't stress too much. The most important thing is to keep filing your weekly claims even while waiting for the determination. If you get approved, they'll pay all those weeks retroactively. One tip - I called the UC office after 2 weeks just to make sure they had everything they needed, and they actually told me my determination was pending final review. Got my approval letter 4 days later. Might be worth a call if you can get through!

btw make sure ur doing ur work searches every week even while waiting!!! i forgot to do mine for 2 weeks thinking i didnt need to until approved & they denied me those weeks even tho i was eligible overall

I process unemployment claims (not for PA but for another state) and wanted to add some context. The term 'unknown reasons' is misleading - it should really be called 'no specific qualifying reason' in the system. It's a catch-all category. For your combined wage claim situation, here's what's happening behind the scenes: The examiner must verify your wages from all states involved, which requires interstate communication. This typically adds 1-2 weeks to the process. The good news is that once they determine your monetary eligibility based on the combined wages, they'll then evaluate the separation reason. In at-will terminations with no misconduct, the burden is actually on the employer to prove you should be disqualified. If they're not contesting as you mentioned, your approval is highly likely. The system is actually designed to default to approval unless there's a specific disqualifying reason. Expect a determination within 3-4 weeks from examiner assignment for a combined wage claim in the current processing environment.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - also had an at-will termination with no specific reason given, and my dashboard shows that same confusing "unknown reasons" status. It's been about 2 weeks since my examiner was assigned and I'm getting really anxious about the wait time. Reading through all these responses is actually making me feel a lot better about my chances. I didn't realize that the "unknown reasons" label was just a system quirk rather than meaning they literally don't know what happened. My former employer also said they wouldn't contest my claim, so hopefully that helps speed things along. One question for anyone who's been through this - did you get any kind of notification when your examiner actually started reviewing your case, or do you just have to wait for the final determination letter? I keep checking my dashboard obsessively but the status hasn't changed at all. Also going to make sure I'm keeping up with my work search requirements - thanks for that reminder! I had no idea I needed to do that during the waiting period.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago - at-will termination, no reason given, and that confusing "unknown reasons" status on my dashboard. I was panicking thinking they didn't have enough information, but it turned out fine. The examiner definitely reviews everything you've submitted. In my case, they called me about 2.5 weeks after assignment to ask a few clarifying questions about the termination, and I got my approval letter 3 days after that call. The whole process took about 3 weeks total once the examiner was assigned. Since your employer already said they won't contest it, you're in a really good position. Just make sure you answer any calls from unknown/blocked numbers during business hours - that's how they'll reach you if they need anything. And definitely keep doing your weekly certifications and work searches while you wait. The anxiety is totally normal but try not to stress too much. At-will terminations with no misconduct are usually straightforward approvals, especially when the employer isn't fighting it.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Filed my claim about 10 days ago after being let go from an at-will position with no reason given, and seeing that "unknown reasons" status on my dashboard has been driving me crazy. I was worried they didn't have enough information or that I filled something out wrong. Reading through everyone's experiences here is such a relief - I had no idea that "unknown reasons" was just a system categorization issue rather than them actually not knowing what happened. My former employer also said they wouldn't contest my claim, so I'm feeling much more optimistic now. The waiting is honestly the worst part. I've been checking my dashboard multiple times a day hoping for some kind of update, but it sounds like nothing changes until you get the final determination. At least now I know to expect 3-4 weeks and not to panic if it takes longer. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is incredibly helpful for navigating this confusing process! I'll definitely keep filing my weekly claims and doing my work searches while I wait.

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation right now - filed my PA UC claim about a week and a half ago after an at-will termination where my employer gave no specific reason. Seeing that "unknown reasons" status on my dashboard has had me worried that I somehow filled out the application incorrectly or that they were missing crucial information. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring! I had no idea that "unknown reasons" was just a default system category rather than them actually not knowing what happened. My former supervisor also mentioned they wouldn't contest my unemployment claim when they let me go, so I'm feeling much more optimistic about my chances now. The hardest part is definitely the waiting and not knowing what's happening behind the scenes. I've been obsessively checking my dashboard hoping for any kind of status update, but it sounds like nothing changes until you get the final determination letter. At least now I know to expect 3-4 weeks from examiner assignment and not to panic if it takes longer, especially since I also have a combined wage claim situation. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread has been a lifesaver for my anxiety! Going to make sure I keep up with my weekly certifications and work search requirements while I wait.

I'm currently going through this exact same process and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Filed my PA UC claim about 10 days ago after an at-will termination where my employer explicitly said there was "no reason" for letting me go. Like everyone else here, I've been stressing about that "unknown reasons" status showing up on my dashboard. It's such a relief to learn that this is just how the system categorizes situations where no specific disqualifying reason was given, rather than them actually being confused about what happened. My former manager also told me during my exit that they wouldn't be contesting my unemployment claim, so I'm feeling much more optimistic after reading everyone's experiences. The waiting period is definitely the hardest part - I've been checking my dashboard obsessively hoping for some kind of update. Now I know to expect 3-4 weeks once an examiner is assigned and to make sure I'm answering all calls, even from blocked numbers. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - it's made this stressful process so much more manageable knowing others have been through the same thing and come out successful on the other side!

I'm currently in the exact same situation and this thread has been a lifesaver for my anxiety! Filed my PA UC claim about 5 days ago after an at-will termination where my employer said they were letting me go for "no specific reason." Seeing that "unknown reasons" status on my dashboard had me convinced I'd somehow messed up the application or that the system was missing crucial information. Reading everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring. I had no idea that "unknown reasons" was just how the system categorizes these situations rather than them actually being confused about what happened. My former HR representative also confirmed they wouldn't be contesting my claim during my exit interview, so I'm feeling much more optimistic now. The constant dashboard checking is so relatable - I've been looking at mine multiple times a day hoping for any kind of update. Now I understand that nothing changes until the final determination, so I can stop driving myself crazy with those constant status checks. Going to focus on staying consistent with my weekly certifications and work search activities instead. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - it's amazing how much this community helps when you're navigating such a stressful and confusing process!

I'm going through the exact same situation right now and this entire thread has been such a relief! Filed my PA UC claim just yesterday after an at-will termination where my employer literally said "we don't need a reason" when they let me go. When I saw that "unknown reasons" status pop up on my dashboard this morning, I immediately started panicking thinking I'd somehow explained things wrong during my phone application. Reading everyone's experiences here has completely changed my perspective - I had no idea that "unknown reasons" was just a default system category rather than them actually being confused about what happened. My former boss also told me they wouldn't contest my claim, so seeing all these positive outcomes from people in similar situations has me feeling so much more hopeful. I was already falling into the obsessive dashboard checking trap after just one day! Good to know I can save myself the stress and just focus on staying consistent with my weekly certifications and work search activities. Going to make sure I answer all calls during business hours too, especially from blocked numbers. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories - it's incredible how much this community helps when you're dealing with such an anxiety-inducing process. Feels so much better knowing I'm not alone in this!