PA UC claim under review after reopening - where's the live chat option?

The live chat option isn't actually on the main UC website. It's only accessible through the PA CareerLink portal when you log in there. But honestly don't waste ur time with that, I tried chat 3 times last month and got disconnected everytime before talking to anyone real.

Are you serious? That's so frustrating! Why would they put it on a different website?? I'll check CareerLink but sounds like it might not even help. How did you eventually get your issue fixed?

The 'under review' status is normal for reopened claims and typically lasts 7-10 business days. They're verifying your separation reason and confirming you meet eligibility requirements since it's a reopened claim. Live chat exists but has extremely limited availability (usually fills up within minutes of opening each day). Your best option is calling the UC service center directly at 888-313-7284, though wait times can be several hours.

exactly!! i waited 4 hrs on hold last week just to get hung up on when they transfered me. system is completly broken!

I just went through this last month with my seasonal construction job ending. For reopened claims, the review process is taking about 10-14 days right now. The chat feature was temporarily disabled in January 2025 due to staffing issues, but they're supposed to bring it back next month. While waiting, make sure you're still filing your weekly certifications even though you won't get paid until the review is complete. When approved, you'll receive all back weeks at once.

Thank you so much for this info! Really helpful to know about the chat being disabled and that I should keep filing weekly. Do you know if there's any way to check the status beyond just seeing \

If you absolutely need to speak with someone, I'd recommend trying Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was in the exact same situation last month - reopened claim stuck in review and rent coming due. They basically call PA UC for you and get you connected to an agent without the hours of busy signals and hold times. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. I got through in about 20 minutes and the agent was able to expedite my review since I was facing potential eviction.

does that service actually work??? seems to good to be true with how impossible it is to reach UC!!

It worked for me, but I can only speak to my experience. The agent I got was able to see there was just a verification flag on my account that needed to be cleared. Without getting through, my claim would have sat there for who knows how long.

When you reopen a claim they ALWAYS put it under review because they need to verify why your last job ended. I thought I was doing everything right when I reopened but turns out I answered one question wrong and they disqualified me!!!! Had to appeal and everything. Such a headache.\n\nAnyway my sister works for the state (not UC dept but she knows people) and she said they got rid of chat because too many people were using it and they couldn't keep up. Typical government efficiency 🙄

This is incorrect information. The chat system has not been permanently removed - it's temporarily disabled for updates according to the PA Labor & Industry monthly newsletter. And reopened claims aren't

I never said they ALWAYS disqualify! I said they always REVIEW reopened claims! And my sister literally works for the state so I think I know what I'm talking about. They told employees the chat is gone for good.

Just to follow up on the status question - there isn't a more detailed status page unfortunately. When your claim is approved, you'll receive an email and the dashboard will change from \

Thank you! I'll definitely ask for a supervisor escalation if it goes beyond 14 days. I appreciate all the helpful advice everyone has shared. I'm going to try calling tomorrow morning first thing, and if that doesn't work, I might try that Claimyr service someone mentioned. Just need to get this sorted before rent is due!

btw if ur claim says under review make SURE you still do your work search activities each week!!! my buddy didn't do them while waiting for approval and when his claim finally went through they denied his back weeks because he hadn't logged any job contacts. total bs but they're strict about that now.

Oh wow, that's good to know! I wasn't sure if I needed to do those while it was still under review. Going to start my job search activities today then. Thanks for the heads up!

I went through this exact same situation in December when my retail seasonal job ended. The "under review" status for reopened claims is honestly the worst part because you have no idea what's happening behind the scenes. A few things that helped me: 1) I called right at 8 AM when lines opened and got through after about 2.5 hours on hold, 2) The agent told me they were just verifying my employer's separation information which took about 12 days total, and 3) I kept filing my weekly certs the whole time even though it felt pointless. When it finally got approved, I received all the back pay in one lump sum. Also definitely keep up with your work search requirements like others mentioned - they're super strict about that now even during the review period. Hang in there, it's frustrating but it will get resolved!