PA UC login nightmare after temp layoff - can't access old account from 3 years ago

You're definitely not alone with this login issue! The PA UC system keeps old accounts active even years later. Here's what you need to do: 1. Call the UC Service Center at 1-888-313-7284, but be prepared for a long wait (often 2+ hours) 2. While waiting, try the PIN reset option rather than username/password - sometimes that will let you back in 3. Check ALL email accounts you might have used 3 years ago - they often send recovery emails to outdated addresses The good news is that for a temporary layoff situation, once you get in, the process is pretty straightforward. Make sure your employer gave you a UC-1609 form for the temporary layoff. You'll need to do weekly work searches even though you have a return date, but you can use online job browsing as qualifying activities.

call ucall early morning like 7:58 am right b4 they open at 8. thats wat i did last month. still waited 45 mins but better than 3hrs!!!

I went through this EXACT nightmare back in January! The system is BEYOND FRUSTRATING! I spent TWO WEEKS trying to get back into my account from 2021. The emails NEVER came through despite requesting them multiple times. What FINALLY worked: I had to physically go to my local PA CareerLink office with my ID and they were able to help me recover my account. Bring your driver's license, Social Security card, and any paperwork from your employer about the temporary layoff. The CareerLink staff has backdoor access to reset accounts that we don't have online. Also, document EVERYTHING about your attempts to file. If your benefits get delayed, you can request backpay to the date you first TRIED to file, not just when you succeeded. They initially denied my backpay but I won on appeal because I had screenshots and notes of all my failed login attempts. This system is DELIBERATELY complicated, I swear!

have u tried using the mobile app instead of the website? sometimes works better for login probs

The PA UC phone system is absolutely useless these days. I was in the same situation last month - temp layoff from construction and couldn't get into my account from 2020. I spent THREE DAYS trying to get through on the phone. Busy signals, disconnects, endless holds. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual person at UC. It's a service that basically sits on hold for you and calls you when they get through to an agent. Saved me so much frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 The agent I got was able to reset everything for me over the phone in about 10 minutes. Wish I'd known about the service on day one instead of beating my head against the wall for days trying to get through myself.

dont bother with the phone number it NEVER WORKS lol i tried for 2 weeks straight. go to careerlink like the other person said. thats what finally worked for me too. bring ID and everything

Wait I'm confused about something - you said you're on temporary layoff until July 1st? You might qualify for what's called "standby" status, which is different from regular UC. With standby status, you wouldn't have to do the job search requirements since you have a definite return-to-work date. Have you asked your employer if they filed a "mass layoff" form with the UC office? Sometimes with temporary planned shutdowns, they'll handle part of the paperwork which makes it easier on your end. Also, once you get your login issues fixed, make sure to immediately update your email address and set up all the security questions/answers. Write down your username and PIN somewhere secure this time! I keep mine in my password manager so I never lose it again.

UPDATE: Success! I tried calling this morning at 7:58 like someone suggested, but still couldn't get through after an hour of trying. So I took your advice and went to CareerLink in person. The staff there was super helpful! Turns out my old email in the system was my work email which was deactivated. They were able to update everything, reset my PIN, and walk me through filing my initial claim right there. Apparently my employer did file a mass layoff form, which made things easier. The rep said I still need to do work search activities even with a return date (something about it being more than 4 weeks), but she showed me how the job browsing activities on PA CareerLink website count towards it. Thanks everyone for your help! Such a relief to have this sorted out.

Awesome update! So happy you got it resolved through CareerLink. I've been dealing with a similar situation with my old account and was getting nowhere with the phone system. Your experience convinced me to skip the phone hassle and just go straight to my local CareerLink office tomorrow. Quick question - did they make you bring any specific documents besides your ID? I want to make sure I have everything they need when I go in. Also, how long did the whole process take once you were there? Thanks for sharing your success story - gives the rest of us hope that there's actually a way through this nightmare system! 😅

This thread is so helpful! I'm bookmarking it because I have a feeling I'll be in the same boat soon - my company just announced potential temporary layoffs starting next month. Quick question for anyone who's been through this recently: when you do the weekly work search activities, do you have to apply for jobs even though you have a return date? Or can you just do the browsing activities on CareerLink? I'm trying to understand what the minimum requirements are since I obviously don't want to waste employers' time with applications when I'll be going back to my current job. Also, @Chloe Robinson - congrats on getting it sorted! Did they give you any timeline for when your first payment might come through?

This whole thread is incredibly helpful - thank you everyone for sharing your experiences! I'm actually dealing with a similar login nightmare right now after being furloughed from my retail job. Been trying for days to get into my old account from 2021 and getting nowhere with the automated system. Reading through all the responses, it sounds like going to CareerLink in person is definitely the way to go instead of wasting time with the phone system. I'm planning to head to my local office tomorrow morning with all my documents. One thing I wanted to add that might help others - I noticed someone mentioned using a password manager to store login info. That's such a good idea! I'm definitely going to do that once I get my account reset. Also going to write down my username and PIN in multiple places so I never go through this headache again. Thanks again for all the practical advice. It's so reassuring to know that other people have gotten through this mess successfully!

This thread has been a lifesaver! I'm currently dealing with the exact same issue - temp layoff from my job at a logistics company and completely locked out of my UC account from 2020. I've been banging my head against the wall for the past week trying to get back in. After reading everyone's experiences, I'm definitely skipping the phone system entirely and heading straight to CareerLink tomorrow. It's amazing how consistent everyone's advice is about going in person being the only reliable solution. One quick tip I'll add for anyone else in this situation - before you go to CareerLink, try to gather up any old emails or paperwork you might have from your previous UC claim. I found some old confirmation emails in my archived folders that have my claim number and other details that might be helpful for the staff to look up your account faster. Thanks especially to @Chloe Robinson for sharing your success story and detailed timeline. It's so encouraging to hear that this nightmare actually has a solution!