PA UC examiner review taking forever - any ways to speed it up?

ya this is normal unfortunately. system is completly broken. took me 7 weeks to get my claim approved last year. keep trying to call. thats all u can do really.

Have you tried emailing your state representative? I had a similar issue - my claim sat with an examiner for 6 weeks with zero progress. Finally emailed my state rep's office, explained my situation, and they contacted UC on my behalf. Claim was approved within 3 days after that! Most state reps have staff who specialize in helping constituents with state agencies like unemployment. Definitely worth a try at this point.

my sisters claim was stuck for 5 weeks after they said she needed to verify her identity even tho she already did. SO FRUSTRATING!! PA unemployment is the worst. keep filling your weekly claims tho, you'll get backpay when they finally approve u

I worked as a claims interviewer for PA UC a few years ago, so I can offer some insider perspective. The "assigned to examiner" status means your claim has been flagged for review due to something specific - could be employer contestation, earnings verification, separation reason issues, etc. Examiners are extremely overloaded, especially in Q1 2025 with the recent manufacturing layoffs. Your best options are: 1. Continue filing weekly claims (as you're doing) to ensure all backpay when approved 2. Check your UC dashboard for any correspondence or questionnaires that might be waiting for your response 3. If you see a message saying "Additional information required" anywhere on your portal, respond immediately 4. Try calling right when they open at 8am on Thursdays (typically lower call volume) Unfortunately, wait times of 4-8 weeks for examiner review are not uncommon right now. Just make sure you're responding to any correspondence and continuing to complete your work search activities each week.

I was in the EXACT same situation in January! Stuck on "assigned to examiner" for weeks with no way to get through on the phone. I finally used a service called Claimyr that got me connected to an actual UC agent in about 20 minutes instead of calling endlessly. They basically wait on hold for you and call you when they get a rep on the line. Cost some money but was worth every penny because the agent was able to see exactly what was holding up my claim (missing wage info from an employer) and pushed it through for review. Check out their video to see how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 Their website is claimyr.com if you want to try it. Honestly felt like a lifesaver after weeks of frustration.

dont forget to do your job search requirements every week!!!! even while waiting!!!! if you dont and they check youll be denied!!!!

The entire PA UC system is DESIGNED to be difficult!! They WANT you to give up so they don't have to pay benefits. I waited 11 WEEKS last year before getting approved. Called hundreds of times. When I finally got through, the person told me my claim had just been sitting there with no issues but nobody had reviewed it. They're deliberately understaffed to save money. It's disgusting how they treat people who are already struggling!

check ur mail too not just email. sometimes they send stuff in regular mail and if u dont respond in like 10 days they just close ur claim. happened to my roomate

Update on the state rep suggestion - just make sure you reach out to your STATE representative, not your federal one. The state reps deal with PA UC issues, not federal congresspeople. Might save you some time!

Hey there! I'm dealing with something similar right now - my claim has been with an examiner for about 3 weeks and I'm getting really anxious too. Reading through all these responses is actually really helpful! I had no idea about contacting your state rep - that's genius. One thing I wanted to add that might help you - I've been keeping a detailed log of every call attempt, screenshot of my dashboard status, and documentation of all my job search activities. My friend who works in HR said this kind of record-keeping can be super helpful if there are any issues later or if you need to escalate. Also, don't give up on calling! I know it's frustrating but I managed to get through once last week around 2:30pm on a Wednesday. The rep couldn't help much but at least confirmed my claim was "in queue" for review. Sometimes just knowing it's actually being looked at helps with the anxiety. Hang in there - sounds like everyone eventually gets approved, it's just a matter of time. The backpay will come through when it does!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - the waiting is absolutely brutal! I was in a similar situation last fall and it's incredibly stressful when your finances are on the line. A few things that helped me during my wait: 1. **Document everything** - Take screenshots of your dashboard status daily with timestamps. This saved me when there was confusion later about when certain status changes occurred. 2. **Call timing strategy** - I had better luck calling right at 8:00 AM sharp on weekdays. Set multiple alarms and start dialing exactly at 8:00. Also try the last 30 minutes before they close (4:30-5:00 PM) - sometimes call volume drops then. 3. **Food banks and emergency assistance** - While waiting, look into local food banks and emergency rental assistance programs. Many counties in PA have emergency funds specifically for people waiting on UC claims. It's not a permanent solution but can help bridge the gap. 4. **Keep detailed records** - Write down every call attempt (date, time, result), screenshot every dashboard change, and save all your job search documentation. If you eventually need to appeal or escalate, this paper trail is gold. The state rep suggestion is excellent - many people don't know that's an option! Your situation is exactly what their constituent services are for. Don't feel bad about reaching out to them. Stay strong - I know it feels endless but almost everyone does get approved eventually. The backpay will cover everything once it comes through!

I feel for you so much - this exact same thing happened to me back in November! Mine was stuck on "assigned to examiner" for 6 weeks and I was losing my mind. What finally worked for me was a combination of things: 1. **Try the 833-255-7969 number instead of the main line** - it's specifically for claim status inquiries and I had better luck getting through on that one. 2. **Download an auto-redial app** - I used one called "Auto Redial" that kept calling for me while I did other things. Way less stressful than manually dialing 50+ times. 3. **Check for any pending correspondence** - Go to your dashboard and click on every single tab/section. Sometimes there's a questionnaire or document request buried in there that's not obvious. Mine had a "work search waiver" form I never saw that was holding everything up. 4. **Email your local UC office directly** - Each county has their own UC office with direct email addresses. Google "[your county] PA unemployment office email" and send them your claim details. The waiting is absolutely torture when you're stressed about money. I ended up getting approved on a random Tuesday with no warning - just checked my dashboard and suddenly it said "approved" with 6 weeks of backpay. Hang in there, it WILL happen! Keep filing those weekly claims no matter what.

I'm going through the exact same nightmare right now! My claim has been "assigned to examiner" for 5 weeks after I got laid off from my retail management job in February. The stress of not knowing when (or if) it'll get approved is eating me alive, especially with bills piling up. Reading through everyone's suggestions here has been SO helpful though! I'm definitely going to try: - Contacting my state rep (never would have thought of that!) - Calling that 833-255-7969 number instead of the main line - Setting up an auto-redial app - Checking my dashboard more thoroughly for hidden forms It's somewhat comforting to know this is happening to so many people, even though the whole situation is completely messed up. The fact that everyone seems to eventually get approved with backpay is keeping me sane right now. @GalacticGuru hang in there - sounds like you're doing everything right by filing weekly and staying on top of it. Hopefully one of these strategies works for both of us soon! This community is a lifesaver for sharing real advice when the official system is so broken.