PA UC payments stopped after reporting inability to work due to illness - stuck since January 2025

Unfortunately, PA UC has strict availability requirements. When you reported being unavailable for work (even due to illness), the system probably flagged your claim for review. The UC handbook states you must be 'able and available' for suitable work every week you claim. What's likely happening is there's an 'open issue' on your claim that needs to be resolved by a claims examiner. This can take weeks to process unfortunately.

same thing happend to me last yr, took almost 2 months to get my $$$ back. u should keep filing every week tho even if ur not getting paid yet!

The PA UC system is GARBAGE!! They do this all the time - one tiny thing they don't like and they freeze your entire claim without any explanation. Then they make it IMPOSSIBLE to talk to anyone who can actually help. I've been dealing with this system for years and it's designed to make people give up. The worst part is they'll probably deny you for that ONE week but there's NO REASON they need to hold all your other payments hostage while they "review" it. RIDICULOUS!!!

You should definitely keep certifying every week! Your claim is probably under review because of the availability issue but you'll (hopefully) get backpay for all eligible weeks once it's resolved.

I'm a former PA UC claims examiner and I can explain what's happening. When you indicated you weren't able and available for work, that created what's called an "availability issue" on your claim. This requires manual review by a claims examiner to determine if you're eligible for benefits that week. The problem is that in PA, any open issue puts ALL benefit payments on hold until resolved. Here's what you should do: 1. Keep filing your weekly claims as normal 2. Check your dashboard for any questionnaires that need completing 3. Upload a brief statement explaining you were only unavailable that one week due to temporary illness 4. Try to reach a claims examiner by phone (I know it's nearly impossible) Once resolved, you'll likely be denied for just the week you were sick, but should receive all other weeks' payments if you meet all other eligibility requirements.

Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to an agent? After dealing with busy signals for weeks, I finally used their service (claimyr.com) and got through to PA UC in about 20 minutes. They have this system that calls for you and puts you at the front when there's an opening. Saved me from losing my apartment when my claim was stuck. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2

this is why i always lie on those weekly claim forms lol. like why would u ever say no to being available?? the system just punishes honesty. not worth it to tell the truth when ur dealing with PA unemployment 🤷‍♀️

Just to add some important information - if you were sick for less than a full week, you might actually still qualify for that week. According to PA UC regulations, you only need to be able and available for "suitable work" for the majority of the week. So if you were sick for 3 days but could have worked the other 4, you might still be eligible. Make sure to clarify exactly how many days you were unavailable when you speak with a representative.

i tried that claimyr thing too when my benefits got stuck and it actully worked! got thru in like 30 min after trying for days on my own

Update: I finally got through to PA UC yesterday! The claims examiner confirmed there was an availability issue flag on my account from that one week I reported being sick. She took my statement explaining it was a temporary illness and said they'll make a determination within 7-10 days. She also said I should receive payments for all eligible weeks after that one sick week once the issue is resolved. Such a relief to finally talk to someone! Will post again when I (hopefully) get my backpay.

This exact same thing happened to me back in 2023! I was honest about being sick with COVID for a few days and it triggered a months-long nightmare with PA UC. What finally worked for me was sending a written statement through their online portal explaining that my illness was temporary and I was fully available for work before and after that week. I also included a timeline showing exactly which days I was unavailable vs. available. The key thing the examiner told me later was being very specific about the temporary nature of the illness and emphasizing that I resumed normal job search activities immediately after recovering. It took about 3 weeks after submitting the written statement to get everything resolved, but I did receive all my backpay. Hang in there - the system is frustrating but you should get your money once they review your case!