PA UC payments going to ReliaCard despite adding Chime banking info twice - help needed
I've been fighting with the PA unemployment system for weeks now. I've entered my Chime banking information TWICE through their direct deposit setup page, confirmed it was saved both times, but my payments keep going to that ReliaCard instead. This is so frustrating because transferring money from ReliaCard takes forever and I need my funds immediately. Has anyone else had this issue? Did you find a way to actually get them to send it to your bank account instead? I called the UC service center at least 15 times but can't get through to a human. Any advice would be super appreciated!
20 comments
Join the conversation
Amara Adebayo
I had the exact same problem back in January! The trick is you need to wait until your current payment processes completely before changing your payment method. If you change it while a payment is processing, the system ignores it. Also, make sure your Chime info matches EXACTLY what's on your bank statements - even a slight difference in how your name appears can cause the system to default back to ReliaCard. When I was dealing with this nightmare, I finally got through to an actual human at PA UC by using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They have this service that connects you directly to an unemployment agent instead of waiting on hold forever. Check out their demo video: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. Honestly saved me days of constant redialing.
0 coins
PixelWarrior
•Wait really?? I've been trying to change it between payments, but maybe that's the issue. So should I wait until after I get my next payment on the ReliaCard and THEN update my banking info? And thanks for the tip about the name matching exactly - I think I might have used my nickname on one of them. I'll try Claimyr too because I'm losing my mind trying to get through on the phone!
0 coins
Giovanni Rossi
lol the pa uc system is a joke. they kept sending mine to a closed account for a month even after i updated it 3 times. good luck
0 coins
Fatima Al-Mansour
•This is why I always tell everyone to just keep the ReliaCard. Too many problems with direct deposit. You can link the ReliaCard to your bank and set up auto-transfers you know.
0 coins
Dylan Evans
The PA UC payment system has a known glitch with online banking platforms like Chime, Varo, and Cash App. Here's what you need to do: 1. Go to your dashboard and REMOVE any existing direct deposit information completely 2. Wait 48 hours for the system to process this change 3. Call the UC service center and have them manually note your account 4. Re-add your Chime information as a NEW entry (don't edit an existing one) 5. Double check your routing number - Chime actually has two different ones depending on when you opened your account I work with unemployment issues regularly, and this specific problem happens because the UC system was built to work with traditional banks. The system sometimes flags online banking platforms as "suspicious" and defaults back to ReliaCard for security.
0 coins
PixelWarrior
•This is incredibly helpful, thank you! I've had my Chime account for about 2 years so I should double-check which routing number I'm using. I'll try removing everything first like you suggested. Did you find a good time to call when it's easier to get through to someone?
0 coins
Dylan Evans
•Calling right when they open at 8am usually works best. Avoid Mondays and Tuesdays altogether if possible - those are their busiest days. Thursday afternoons tend to have shorter wait times in my experience.
0 coins
Sofia Gomez
Has anyone tried using Cashapp instead of Chime? I had problems with my chime account too but switched to cashapp and it worked fine for me.
0 coins
StormChaser
•I've used Cash App successfully but you NEED to verify your account with them first before adding it to PA UC. They'll reject any unverified Cash App accounts. Also, check if your Cash App is a business or personal account - PA UC only works with personal.
0 coins
Dmitry Petrov
I'm having the EXACT SAME ISSUE right now and it's driving me INSANE!!! I've entered my information THREE times and it still goes to that stupid ReliaCard! I called literally 37 times yesterday and couldn't get through. The whole system is designed to make it impossible to get what we're entitled to. I have bills due and can't wait 3-5 days for transfers from ReliaCard every time!!!
0 coins
PixelWarrior
•It's so frustrating! Have you tried removing your banking info completely first like someone suggested above? I'm going to try that approach this week and see if it works. Will update here if I have any success.
0 coins
Amara Adebayo
Just wanted to follow up - did you try the steps that were suggested? Did you get your direct deposit working with Chime?
0 coins
PixelWarrior
•Yes! I finally got it working! I used Claimyr to reach someone at UC (took about 20 mins instead of hours of redial), and the agent explained that there was a flag on my account because I had made too many payment method changes. They had to manually remove the flag, then I waited 48 hours before adding my Chime info again. My payment yesterday went straight to Chime! So relieved to be done with the ReliaCard hassle.
0 coins
Fatima Al-Mansour
my sister had this problem to. she had to go to the bank an get a form with her account info from a banker an then upload it to her pa uc dashboard under documents. worked after that
0 coins
Dylan Evans
•This is great advice actually. Having an official bank document can help verify the account. For online banks like Chime that don't have physical locations, you can download an official direct deposit form from their website or app, which serves the same purpose.
0 coins
Giovanni Rossi
anyone know if they charging fees now for the reliacard transfers? i swear they took $1.50 from my last transfer
0 coins
StormChaser
•There's a $1.50 fee for instant transfers from ReliaCard to your bank. Standard transfers (3-5 business days) are still free. This changed in March 2025 - they used to offer one free instant transfer per deposit.
0 coins
Hannah White
Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences! This thread has been super helpful. I just wanted to add that if you're still having issues after trying all these steps, you might want to check if your Chime account has any pending security reviews or restrictions. I had a friend who couldn't get direct deposit working anywhere because Chime had flagged their account for some routine verification they never completed. Also, make sure you're using the correct account type when setting up - some people accidentally select "checking" when their Chime account is technically a "savings" account or vice versa. The PA UC system is pretty strict about matching the exact account type.
0 coins
Aria Khan
•That's a really good point about the account type! I never thought to check if I was selecting the right one. I just assumed all Chime accounts were checking accounts. This might explain why some people have success and others don't even when following the same steps. I'm going to log into my Chime app and double-check what type of account I actually have before I try updating my PA UC info again. Thanks for adding that detail!
0 coins
Dallas Villalobos
I went through this exact nightmare last month! What finally worked for me was contacting my state representative's office. I know it sounds crazy, but they have a direct line to UC and can escalate these payment issues. I called my rep's office, explained the situation, and they contacted UC on my behalf. Within 3 business days, my direct deposit was working perfectly. Sometimes you need someone with actual authority to cut through the bureaucratic mess. You can find your state rep at legis.state.pa.us - just enter your zip code. It's worth a shot if all the other methods fail!
0 coins