PA UC wage reporting issue when working in PA but living in Ohio - stuck with no income since July
I'm about at my wit's end with this interstate unemployment mess. I worked full-time in Pennsylvania for the last 3 years but I live across the border in Ohio (about 15 minutes from the PA line). Got laid off on July 14th and haven't received a single payment yet because of wage reporting issues. When I applied for UC benefits through PA (since that's where I worked), they're telling me my wages weren't reported to them! How is that even possible when my employer is based in PA and I've been paying PA state taxes this whole time? I've called the PA UC service center probably 30+ times but it's always busy. I finally got through once last week and they just told me to contact my employer about it. My former boss says everything was filed correctly on their end. It's been almost 3 months with ZERO income! Do I need to file in Ohio instead? Has anyone dealt with this cross-state nightmare before?
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Ethan Wilson
You need to file in the state where you worked, not where you live. So PA is correct. It sounds like your employer may not have properly reported your wages to PA's UC system despite what they're telling you. Ask your employer for copies of their quarterly wage reports that show your wages were reported to PA. You might also need to request a wage investigation through PA UC. Unfortunately, cross-state situations often have these complications.
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Aisha Abdullah
•Thanks for the response. I've already asked my employer and they swear everything was filed correctly with PA. They even showed me their quarterly reports with my name and wages clearly listed. Is there a specific form I need to fill out for a wage investigation? And will that take another 3 months? I'm seriously about to lose my apartment.
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NeonNova
omg the EXACT same thing happend to my cousin last year!!! she worked in PA but lived in WV. took her like 5 months to get it fixed and get paid. the whole system is rigged i swear
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Aisha Abdullah
•5 MONTHS?! I can't wait that long. Did she end up filing in PA or WV? What finally fixed it for her?
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NeonNova
•she filed in PA cause thats where the job was. honestly dont remember what fixed it, something about her employer having to send in special forms? she got backpay eventually tho
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Yuki Tanaka
This is a common issue with interstate claims. Here's what you need to do: 1. You're correct to file in PA since that's where you worked 2. Request a "Wage Investigation" by submitting form UC-2B to PA UC 3. Get your employer to provide you with copies of their quarterly contribution reports (UC-2 and UC-2A forms) that show your wages 4. Make sure your employer's PA UC account number is included on all documentation 5. If your employer paid unemployment tax to Ohio by mistake, they'll need to correct this with both states The investigation can take 2-4 weeks, but you should be eligible for backpay from your initial filing date once it's resolved.
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Aisha Abdullah
•Thank you so much for this detailed info! I'll get that UC-2B form submitted ASAP. Is that something I can find online or do I need to request it from the service center? And will I get a confirmation when the investigation starts?
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Yuki Tanaka
•You can download the UC-2B form from the PA UC website under Forms. Make sure to include copies of any pay stubs or W-2s showing PA employment when you submit it. You should receive a confirmation notice by mail within 7-10 days after they receive your request. Remember that your benefit year begins from your original filing date, so once resolved, you'll get all eligible weeks from July.
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Carmen Diaz
I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM!!! Except I worked in PA and lived in DE. PA UC is COMPLETELY USELESS!!! I called 200+ times and never got through. Ended up having to get my state representative involved after 4 months of no benefits. The system is BROKEN and they DON'T CARE about people losing their homes!!!!
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Andre Laurent
•Wow thats rough. Did u ever get your money?
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Carmen Diaz
•Yes but only after I contacted my state rep who had some special contact at UC. Got all my backpay in one lump sum after 4.5 months of NOTHING. Should never take that long!!!
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Emily Jackson
Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to a PA UC agent? I was in a similar situation (though not interstate) and was getting constant busy signals for weeks. I found this service at claimyr.com that got me connected to a UC rep in about 20 minutes after trying for weeks on my own. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. Once I actually spoke with someone, they discovered my wages were misreported under a slightly different spelling of my name, and they were able to fix it within a week.
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Aisha Abdullah
•I've never heard of that service before. Is it legitimate? At this point I'm desperate enough to try anything that might get me through to an actual person.
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Emily Jackson
•Yes, it's legitimate. They basically call the UC service center for you using their system that can get through the busy signals, then connect you when they reach an agent. It worked for me after weeks of trying on my own. Just make sure you have all your documentation ready when you get connected.
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Liam Mendez
Something doesn't add up here. If your employer is in PA and you worked in PA, your wages should definitely be reported to PA UC. There are a few possibilities: 1. Your employer might have registered you under a slightly different name or SSN (simple typo) 2. Your employer could be registered with the wrong state for UC purposes 3. Your employer might not be paying into the UC system properly Did you verify your identity through ID.me? Sometimes claims get stuck if the identity verification isn't completed.
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Aisha Abdullah
•Yes, I completed the ID.me verification the same day I filed my initial claim. I even got the confirmation email saying my identity was verified successfully. My employer has been in business in PA for over 20 years and has hundreds of employees, so I doubt they're not paying into the system correctly. But maybe there's a typo somewhere? How would I even check that?
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Liam Mendez
•Check your W-2 against what you entered in your application. Even a small difference (like using your middle initial in one but not the other) can cause issues. Also, some employers have multiple account numbers if they operate in different states. Make sure your employer didn't accidentally report your wages under their Ohio account if they have locations in both states. You might want to ask if they can contact PA UC directly about your specific wages since they'll have access to their employer portal.
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Andre Laurent
just wondering but did u get ur financial determination letter yet? that should show what wages they have on file for u
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Aisha Abdullah
•Yes, I received it about a week after filing. It showed $0.00 in wages for all quarters, which is why I've been freaking out. I worked full-time making about $52,000/year, so there should definitely be wages reported.
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Yuki Tanaka
•That $0.00 financial determination is exactly why you need the wage investigation. Make sure to submit copies of your pay stubs showing PA state tax withholding when you submit your UC-2B form. This will help prove your case faster.
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Ethan Wilson
Based on everything you've shared, you're definitely doing the right thing by submitting the UC-2B form. Since your employer has confirmed they reported your wages to PA, and you have documentation, it's likely just a system error or mismatch. Interstate claims do take longer, but 3 months is excessive. A wage investigation should resolve this within 2-4 weeks. One thing to consider while waiting: check if you qualify for other emergency assistance programs. Your local Ohio county assistance office might have emergency rental assistance or other programs to help with bills in the meantime.
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Aisha Abdullah
•Thank you for the suggestion about emergency assistance. I hadn't thought of that. I'll look into what's available in my county while I wait for this UC mess to get sorted out. Really appreciate everyone's help here!
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