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!

I'm in the same boat as everyone here - been calling since last Thursday with zero success! My claim got flagged for "additional review" and I have no idea what that even means. The automated system just keeps telling me to call during business hours... WHICH I AM DOING! Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and tips. I'm going to try that exact 8:00am strategy tomorrow (setting multiple alarms lol) and also send a detailed message through the website tonight. The fact that Vanessa and Katherine both got through using the 8am timing gives me hope! This whole situation is so stressful when you're already dealing with being unemployed. At least we have this community to vent and share strategies. Will report back if I have any luck tomorrow!

I've been lurking in this community for weeks dealing with my own PA UC nightmare and finally decided to jump in because this thread is exactly what I needed to see! I've been trying to get through for 6 days straight about a "separation issue" on my claim (got laid off due to company downsizing but somehow it's flagged as questionable). The busy signals and disconnects are absolutely maddening - I've literally been keeping a tally and I'm at 127 failed call attempts since last Monday. Reading everyone's experiences here makes me feel so much less crazy and alone in this! Definitely trying that 8:00am SHARP strategy tomorrow after seeing Vanessa and Katherine's success stories. Also going to send a detailed message tonight using William's subject line format with my claim ID. The tip about Wednesday/Thursday afternoons from Noah is also super helpful - I've been calling randomly throughout the day which clearly isn't working. Thanks to everyone for sharing your struggles and strategies. It's wild that we need a support group just to access basic unemployment services, but at least we're all fighting this broken system together! Will update if I manage to break through tomorrow 🤞

Just wanted to share my experience from this week - I finally got through using the 8:00am strategy! After reading everyone's tips here, I set 3 alarms for 7:58am and called exactly at 8:00:00. Got put on hold for about 35 minutes but actually spoke to a real person who resolved my "open issue" in under 10 minutes. Turns out my former employer never responded to their initial inquiry, so the agent just closed it out and released my payments. The key really is that EXACT 8:00am timing - I tried 8:01am yesterday and got nothing but busy signals. Today at 8:00 sharp I got through immediately to the hold queue. Also helped that I had all my documentation ready (claim ID, social security number, employment dates, etc.) so the call went smoothly once connected. For anyone still struggling - don't give up! This thread gave me the motivation to keep trying when I was ready to throw in the towel. The system is absolutely broken but there are small windows where you can break through. Wednesday morning at 8:00am seems to be the sweet spot based on my experience and what others have shared here.

I'm so grateful I found this thread! Been battling the PA UC phone system for 2 weeks now with an "overpayment determination" that I need to appeal, but I can't even get through to understand what it's about. I've tried calling at random times throughout the day with zero success - just endless busy signals and those infuriating "high call volume" disconnects. Reading everyone's experiences here is both comforting (I'm not alone in this nightmare!) and incredibly helpful. The 8:00am SHARP strategy that Isabella, Vanessa, and Katherine used successfully is definitely my plan for tomorrow morning. I'm setting 4 alarms and having my coffee ready so I'm fully awake to hit that exact timing. Also going to send a detailed message through the website tonight using William's subject line format - "URGENT - Open Issue Preventing Payment - Claim ID: [my number]" seems like the way to get attention. The fact that multiple people have had success with these specific strategies gives me actual hope for the first time in weeks. This community support is honestly keeping me sane through this bureaucratic hell. Will definitely report back tomorrow with results from the 8am attempt. Thanks everyone for sharing your struggles and victories - we're all stronger together fighting this broken system! 💪

Just joining this thread after stumbling across it during my own PA UC phone hell experience! I've been trying to reach them for 8 days straight about a "monetary determination" issue that's blocking my payments. Every single day it's the same story - busy signals, automatic disconnects, or that soul-crushing "we're experiencing higher than normal call volumes" message before it hangs up on me. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both validating and incredibly helpful. I had no idea so many people were dealing with the exact same nightmare! The 8:00am SHARP strategy that Isabella, Vanessa, and Katherine successfully used is definitely going to be my approach tomorrow morning. I'm blown away that the difference between 8:00 and 8:01 could be so crucial, but clearly that narrow window is everything. Also planning to send that detailed message through the website tonight using William's proven subject line format with my claim ID. It's ridiculous that we need to strategize like this just to access basic unemployment services, but at least we have this community to share tactics and keep each other motivated. The system update issues Ella's cousin mentioned really explain why everything seems even more broken than usual this year. Doesn't make it less frustrating, but at least we know it's not just us! Thanks everyone for creating this support network - will definitely report back tomorrow with my 8am attempt results! 🤞

Just discovered this thread and I'm honestly about to cry from relief knowing I'm not the only one going through this absolute nightmare! I've been calling PA UC for 12 days straight about a "fact-finding" issue on my claim and I'm losing my mind. Every morning I wake up thinking "today's the day I'll get through" and then it's 8+ hours of busy signals, disconnects, and that automated message basically telling me to go away. I've tried calling at literally every time of day - early morning, lunch breaks, mid-afternoon, even right before they close. NOTHING works. The system just seems designed to exhaust us into giving up. Reading Isabella's success with the exact 8:00:00am timing is giving me actual hope for the first time in weeks. I had no idea that one second could make such a difference! Definitely trying the 8am sharp strategy tomorrow and also sending that detailed message tonight using William's subject line format. It's insane that we need military-level precision just to access unemployment benefits, but this thread has armed me with actual tactics instead of just randomly calling and praying. The fact that there's a whole community of us dealing with this proves how broken the system really is. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and strategies - I genuinely don't think I would have kept fighting without finding this support network. Will report back tomorrow with hopefully good news from the 8am attempt! 🤞