PA UC phone wait times reaching 90+ minutes - anyone have better luck?

I called at exactly 7:59am last week (right before they open at 8am) and still waited 74 minutes. The system is completely overloaded because of all the new claim issues they're processing. When I finally got through, the agent told me they're severely understaffed.

try calling on wednesday thats when i got thru faster

I've been dealing with PA unemployment for 15 years (on and off seasonal construction work) and it's NEVER been this bad!!! Used to get through in 20-30 min tops. Last week I was on hold for TWO HOURS and then got disconnected right as someone answered. I literally threw my phone across the room. The whole system is a JOKE.

I gave up on calling after three attempts of 60+ minute waits. I had better luck sending a message through the UC portal, but even that took 9 days to get a response. If your issue is about reporting part-time income, make sure you're entering the gross amount (before taxes) rather than your take-home pay. That's a common mistake that causes payment issues.

You should try using Claimyr. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked for me last month when I had an identity verification issue. They basically call PA UC for you and then connect you when they get through to an agent. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. Their website is claimyr.com if you want to check it out.

Based on what you described, your claim likely has an "open issue" related to your part-time earnings. When you report earnings, the system often flags the claim for review to verify the reported income doesn't exceed your benefit amount. This typically puts your payments on hold for 1-3 weeks while they review. You should log into your PA UC dashboard and look for an "Issues and Determinations" section - it should show if there's a pending issue. Unfortunately, phone contact is often the only way to expedite this. If your part-time earnings were less than your weekly benefit amount minus the partial benefit credit (WBA - PBC), you should still receive a partial payment.

Yes, absolutely continue filing your weekly certifications, even while the issue is being resolved. If you stop filing and then the issue gets cleared, you won't be able to claim those missed weeks retroactively without additional paperwork and delays. For your specific situation with part-time work, make sure you're reporting your gross wages (before taxes) from the week you EARNED them, not when you got paid. This trips up a lot of people. And yes, even with an open issue, you should continue reporting any part-time hours honestly each week.

Update: I finally got through after 2 hours and 14 minutes on hold. The agent was actually really helpful and explained that my case needed a supervisor review because I had two different employers this benefit year. They expedited it and said payments should resume within 5-7 business days. Hang in there!

I feel your pain! I've been dealing with the same issue for the past two weeks. What's worked for me is calling right at 8:00 AM sharp and having a backup plan - I use speaker phone so I can do other things while waiting. Also, if you haven't already, download the PA UC mobile app. Sometimes you can resolve simple issues through there without calling. For the part-time income thing, double-check that you're reporting the gross amount from the week you actually worked (not when you got paid). That distinction has caused me problems before. Good luck and don't give up!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Been trying to get through for over a week about my payments stopping after reporting part-time work. The longest I've waited was 2 hours and 47 minutes before I had to hang up for a work meeting. What's really frustrating is that the automated system doesn't give you any estimate of how much longer the wait might be. I've started using my laptop to stream music instead of listening to their hold music because it was driving me crazy. One small tip - if you have to use the bathroom, you can usually put the call on speaker and take your phone with you. I know it sounds ridiculous but when you've been waiting that long, you don't want to lose your place! Going to try the Claimyr service that @QuantumLeap mentioned because this is unsustainable.