PA UC phone lines busy all day - anyone actually getting through?

been tryng for 3 days straight. its impossible. they really dont want us to get our $$$. keep getting busy signal or it hangs up automatically. system is rigged.

The call volume is especially high on Mondays and Tuesdays. Your best bet is to try Wednesday or Thursday afternoon between 2:30-3:45pm. That's when their queue sometimes opens up as they're working through the day's calls. Also make sure you're calling the right number for your issue - the main line at 888-313-7284 is always swamped, but if you have a specific department number it might be easier.

I was in your exact situation last month with an open issue that wouldn't resolve. After trying for days, I found a service called Claimyr that got me connected to a PA UC agent in about 20 minutes. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 Their website is claimyr.com - basically they keep calling on your behalf until they get through, then connect you. Saved me from losing my mind after a week of constant busy signals. My open issue got fixed in one call once I actually spoke to someone.

Have you tried the chat feature on the PA UC website? Sometimes that's an easier way to get help with open issues. It's not perfect but I was able to get someone to look at my claim that way when the phones were impossible. Just keep the window open and be ready because they disconnect FAST if you don't respond immediately.

I had a similar problem last month when they flagged my account for "insufficient work search activities" even though I entered them all correctly!!! The phone lines were always busy, I tried for like 9 days straight! Finally I sent an email through the message center on the PA UC website explaining my issue in DETAIL with dates and everything. Someone actually responded after 4 days and fixed my issue. Maybe try that while you're still trying the phones?

My boyfriend's cousin works at unemployment and said they got like 50,000 claims backed up right now cuz of some computer update they did in January that messed everything up. She said internal systems are down half the time so even when you do get thru the agents can't always help anyway. Its not just you!

Just a quick update - I called PA UC this morning at exactly 8:00:00 am (literally watched my phone clock) and got through after a 25 minute wait. The agent was able to see that my previous employer did submit a protest to my claim, but since they didn't provide any evidence within the timeframe, the agent was able to remove the open issue! My payments should process within 2-3 business days. For those still trying, keep at it. Early morning on Wednesday/Thursday seems to be the sweet spot. If you're desperate like I was, the Claimyr service others mentioned is worth considering, but persistence with the regular line can eventually pay off too.

I'm dealing with the exact same nightmare! Been calling since 7:30am today (thought getting an early start would help) and it's now 3pm with absolutely nothing to show for it. My claim has been stuck with an "identity verification" issue for over 2 weeks and I'm getting automated emails saying I need to call to resolve it, but HOW can I call when the phones are literally unreachable?? Reading through everyone's experiences here at least makes me feel less alone in this madness. Going to try the exact 8:00am strategy tomorrow and also send that detailed message through the website like William suggested. This system is beyond broken but we gotta keep fighting through it. Thanks for sharing your struggle - solidarity in the unemployment phone hell!