PA UC wage protest review timeline? Missing wages affecting my base year calculation
I filed a wage protest with PA UC about 3 weeks ago because my calculation seems way off. They're missing ALL my earnings from April through October 2024! I just got a message saying my appeal 'is now being reviewed' but no other info. Does anyone know how long this review process typically takes? I'm starting to panic about bills. For context: I filed my initial claim in February 2025, so if I understand correctly, my base year should be October 2023 through September 2024, right? The determination they sent only shows wages from the last quarter of 2023 and first quarter of 2024. I've already uploaded my paystubs through the portal but haven't heard anything until this 'under review' message today. Really anxious about this since the weekly benefit amount they calculated is less than half what it should be!
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Yuki Kobayashi
Based on my experience about 6 months ago, the wage protest review takes 3-4 weeks after you get that 'being reviewed' status update. And yes, you're correct about your base year - if you filed in Feb 2025, your base year would be Oct 2023-Sept 2024. Did you make sure to submit W-2s or paystubs for ALL those missing months? They won't estimate or assume wages without documentation.
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Ethan Moore
•Thanks for the timeline! That's a relief. I submitted digital copies of all my paystubs for the missing months through their portal, but maybe I should try faxing physical copies too? I'm just worried because that's over $18,000 in missing wages and would make a HUGE difference in my weekly benefit.
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Carmen Vega
I went through exact same thing in January. PA UC review took exactly 26 days for me after getting that notice. The system is painfully slow but it does work eventually. Make sure your documents clearly show your employer's EIN number and your SSN - I had to resubmit mine because they were "illegible" even though they weren't. One trick that helped me - I called and spoke to an agent who was able to confirm they had received my documents and marked my case as priority. Have you tried reaching them by phone?
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Ethan Moore
•I've tried calling every day this week but can't get through! Just constant busy signals or it hangs up after the automated menu. I'll keep trying though. 26 days isn't terrible I guess, but every day without the proper benefit amount is stressful. Do they backpay the difference once they correct it?
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QuantumQuester
the reviews take forEVER lol... i waited like 6 weeks for mine and my roomate waited 8 weeks for hers!!! they r super behind on everything rn
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Andre Moreau
•Same! Mine took almost 2 months and that was after I called like 20 times
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Zoe Stavros
I had a similar issue last year and waited OVER TWO MONTHS for them to fix it! The PA UC system is completely broken. They expect us to submit documentation instantly but then they take their sweet time reviewing it while we struggle to pay bills. RIDICULOUS! And even after they fixed mine, they didn't automatically pay me the difference - I had to call and demand it. Keep detailed records of EVERYTHING and don't let them get away with underpaying you!!!
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Ethan Moore
•Oh no, that's terrifying. I can't wait 2+ months! I wonder if there's any way to expedite the review? And that's awful they didn't automatically pay you the difference - I'll definitely keep track of everything.
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Jamal Harris
Have you tried using Claimyr to reach an actual person at PA UC? It was a total game-changer for me when I had wage issues. I spent 3 weeks trying to get through on my own with no luck, then used their service and got connected to a PA UC agent in about 20 minutes. The agent was able to check my file and confirm they had all my wage documentation and even expedited my review. Check out their demo video at https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 or go to claimyr.com. So much better than the anxiety of waiting with no updates.
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Mei Chen
•is that legit?? never heard of it before
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Jamal Harris
•Yes, totally legit. My brother-in-law used it first and recommended it to me. It's just a service that keeps auto-dialing UC until it gets through, then connects you. Saved me hours of frustration.
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Carmen Vega
To answer your earlier question - yes, they will backpay the difference once your wage protest is approved. They'll recalculate your weekly benefit amount based on the corrected wage information, then issue a lump sum payment for the difference between what you've been receiving and what you should have been paid for all weeks already claimed. Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims during this time! Even if the amount is incorrect, you need to have continuous claims filed to receive the backpay.
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Ethan Moore
•Thank you! That's a huge relief. I've been filing my weekly claims faithfully even though the amount is so low. Good to know all that effort will pay off eventually.
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Andre Moreau
my cousin works at the UC office and she said wage protests are prioritized by how much is missing so if urs is a lot maybe it'll go faster? idk if thats true tho lol
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Zoe Stavros
•That's definitely NOT true. Mine was missing over $25k in wages and still took forever. They don't prioritize ANYTHING except maybe if you're a politician or something 🙄
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Yuki Kobayashi
One important thing I forgot to mention - while your protest is being reviewed, double-check that all your employers from the base year reported your wages correctly to PA. Sometimes the issue isn't with UC but with employer reporting. You can verify this by contacting your previous employers' HR departments and confirming they submitted the proper quarterly wage reports to the state. Also, make sure you're still meeting the work search requirements during this time! The wage protest doesn't exempt you from the job search activities.
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Ethan Moore
•That's really good advice about checking with my employers directly. I hadn't thought of that! And yes, I've been keeping up with the work search requirements - applying to jobs and documenting everything in my dashboard. Just hoping this gets resolved soon so I can actually pay my rent next month. Thank you for all the help!
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Andre Moreau
•i had to call my old job about this too! turns out they reported my SSN wrong so none of my wages were showing up
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Ava Rodriguez
Hey there! I went through a similar wage protest situation about 4 months ago. The waiting is absolutely nerve-wracking, but hang in there! In my case, it took about 5 weeks from the "under review" status to getting the corrected determination. One thing that really helped speed things up for me was submitting a detailed cover letter with my wage documentation explaining exactly which employers and time periods were missing, along with the total dollar amounts. I also included copies of my W-2s AND paystubs for each missing quarter. Make sure everything is crystal clear - don't make them guess what you're claiming. The good news is that once they approve your protest, you'll get all the backpay in one lump sum. I got an extra $3,200 when mine was finally processed! Just keep filing your weekly claims religiously during this time - you don't want to miss any weeks that you're entitled to the higher benefit amount for.
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NeonNova
•That's really encouraging to hear! $3,200 is exactly the kind of difference I'm expecting too. I love the idea about including a detailed cover letter - I just submitted the paystubs but didn't explain the gaps clearly. Do you think it's worth resubmitting with a better explanation letter now, or should I wait to see if they process what I already sent? I'm at the 3-week mark so maybe I should give it another week or two before adding more documentation?
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