PA UC still under review after 5 weeks - will I get backpay if approved after starting new job?

Yes they will pay you for the weeks you where unemployed. You still have to file your weekly claims and report that you are working and how much you made. Depending on how much you make, you may still be eligible for partial benefits. congrats on the new job!

Congratulations on finding work! To answer your questions accurately: 1. Yes, if your claim is eventually approved, you WILL receive all back payments for the weeks you were eligible and properly filed your weekly certifications. This is called "backpay" and they will pay you for all qualifying weeks regardless of your current employment status. 2. You should absolutely continue filing weekly claims even after you start working. When you file, you'll report that you returned to work, the date you started, and your earnings. This does two important things: - It properly closes out your claim - It may qualify you for partial benefits if your new wages are below your weekly benefit amount Failure to report your return to work could potentially create an overpayment situation if your claim is eventually approved. Keep filing until the system tells you that you're no longer eligible to file.

5 weeks is actually not that long for PA review these days lol. I waited 9 weeks last year!!

If you're having trouble getting information about your claim, I'd recommend trying to speak with a UC representative directly. I was in a similar situation and wasted weeks waiting before I was able to talk to someone. I discovered a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to a PA UC agent when I couldn't get past the busy signals. They have a system that keeps calling until it gets through, then connects you. I was skeptical but they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 Once I spoke with a rep, they were able to tell me exactly what was holding up my claim and resolve it that same day. In your case, it might be worth finding out what's causing the delay even though you're starting work soon - that way you know your backpay is actually coming.

MAKE SURE YOU KEEP FILING EVERY WEEK even after u start the job!!! I made this mistake and lost out on 3 weeks of payments because I stopped filing when I got hired. You need to keep filing until they actually tell you to stop!!! You'll still get paid for the weeks u were unemployed as long as u did everything right.

Just to add to the confusion lol... when I was on PA UC last year I got approved after 6 weeks then got a new job 2 weeks later. For some weird reason they paid me for 4 weeks but not for 2 of them and I never figured out why. The system is so confusing I just gave up trying to get those missing weeks.

This whole "under review" status drives me NUTS. The PA UC system is deliberately designed to be as frustrating and opaque as possible. They hope people will just give up or find jobs before they have to pay. I went through 11 weeks of "under review" last year and got zero explanations until I finally reached someone by phone who fixed it in literally 5 minutes. The system is BROKEN.

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! I'll definitely keep filing my weekly certifications even after I start my job, and I'll report my work and wages properly to avoid any issues. It sounds like I should eventually receive the backpay for these 5 weeks, which is a relief. It's frustrating that the system works this way, but at least I know what to expect now. I might try contacting them directly to see if I can figure out what's causing the delay, even though I'll be working soon.