PA UC won't accept work history when reopening claim - have weeks left, system forcing me to call
I'm at my wit's end trying to reopen my PA unemployment claim. I still have 15 weeks of benefits left on my claim from last year, but the system won't let me proceed with the work history section. Every time I enter my employment info, it just loops back to the same page without saving anything! The chatbot was useless and just told me I need to call UC directly. I've been trying for 3 days straight and can't get through - just busy signals or disconnects. Is there any way to request a callback instead of sitting on hold all day? This should be straightforward since I'm just reopening an existing claim, not filing a new one. Anyone else dealt with this reopening glitch recently?
16 comments
Join the conversation
Natalia Stone
OMG SAME PROBLEM!!!! The system is TOTALLY broken right now. I tried reopening last week and got stuck in the EXACT same loop. Couldn't enter work history no matter what I tried. Wasted 2 full days trying to call and never got a human. The PA UC system is a complete joke. When will they fix this garbage website????
0 coins
Nolan Carter
•So frustrating! Did you eventually get through to anyone? I'm afraid I'll miss too many claim weeks while trying to get this fixed.
0 coins
Tasia Synder
I had a similar issue last month. The work history section glitches if u have a previous employer already in the system from ur initial claim. Try clearing browser cache and cookies then use a different browser. That fixed it for me. If that doesnt work then ya gotta call unfortunately
0 coins
Nolan Carter
•Thanks, I'll try the browser trick right now. Fingers crossed it works!
0 coins
Selena Bautista
This is actually a known issue with the PA UC system right now. The work history section has a bug when trying to reopen claims that still have a balance from 2024. Two important things to know: 1) When reopening, if you had the same employer as your previous claim period, the system sometimes can't process that information correctly. 2) You DO need to speak with an agent to resolve this, as they need to manually override the work history validation in your claim. Unfortunately, there's no official callback option through PA UC. You have to keep calling until you get through. Best times are right at 8:00 AM when they open or midweek (Wednesday) around 2:30-3:00 PM when call volume sometimes dips.
0 coins
Mohamed Anderson
•i tried for 2 weeks to get through. such a waste of time. they really need to add a callback feature like normal companies have
0 coins
Ellie Perry
When I had issues reopening my claim in January, I went to my local PA CareerLink office instead of calling. The staff there helped me contact UC directly through their system. Took about an hour of waiting but I got my issue fixed same day. Might be worth trying if calls aren't working.
0 coins
Nolan Carter
•I didn't even think about CareerLink! That's a great idea - there's one about 20 minutes from me. I'll try the browser trick first but will head there tomorrow if it doesn't work. Thanks!
0 coins
Landon Morgan
This is definitely a technical issue on their end. I work with UC claims often, and they've been having problems with the work history validation system specifically for reopened claims where the benefit year hasn't expired. Some technical points to understand: 1) Your benefits aren't at risk - even if it takes time to reopen, you can request backdating for any weeks you missed due to this technical issue. 2) The system is incorrectly handling work history for claims that were previously established and still have a balance. 3) The only permanent fix is having a UC rep manually override the validation error in their system. Unfortunately, despite all their system "upgrades," PA UC still hasn't implemented a callback system. Phone or in-person at CareerLink are your best options.
0 coins
Nolan Carter
•Thank you for the detailed explanation. Good to know I can request backdating - that was my biggest worry. I'll keep trying the phone and look into the CareerLink option.
0 coins
Mohamed Anderson
did u try just making up different work history? sometimes u can just put anything in there to get past that screen then explain to them later when u get through
0 coins
Selena Bautista
•Please don't do this. Entering incorrect information, even temporarily, can create bigger problems with your claim. The system flags discrepancies between new and previous information, which can trigger fraud investigations. It's much better to get the issue resolved properly by speaking with a representative.
0 coins
Tasia Synder
update?? did u ever get this fixed? im having the same issue now and worried
0 coins
Nolan Carter
•Yes! I finally got it resolved. The browser trick didn't work for me, so I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned to get through to an agent. Got connected in about 30 minutes, and the UC rep fixed it right away. She said it's a known system issue they're still working on. My claim is reopened now and I was able to file for my missed weeks too.
0 coins
Sean O'Connor
I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Been stuck in that work history loop for 4 days and it's driving me crazy. The system just won't save anything I enter. I saw you mentioned Claimyr - is that a legitimate service? I'm hesitant to use third-party services for unemployment stuff but I'm getting desperate. Also wondering if anyone knows roughly how much they charge? At this point I'd rather pay something than waste more days trying to get through on my own.
0 coins
Fatima Al-Maktoum
•I can understand your frustration! I used Claimyr when I was stuck in the same loop and it was legitimate - they basically just keep calling the UC line until they get through, then connect you to an agent. I think it cost me around $20 but honestly it was worth it after wasting so much time trying myself. Just make sure you're ready to talk to the UC rep immediately when they connect you since you're paying for that connection time. The whole call took maybe 10 minutes once I got through and the agent fixed the work history issue right away.
0 coins