Stuck on PA UC work separation determination for 2 months - can't pay bills

same boat, im on week 6 waiting for work separation review... its ridiculous!!! try hitting option 1-1-3 when you call... sometimes works to get a person instead of the robot

Thanks for the tip about the phone options. I'll try that tomorrow morning. Did you ever get through to anyone using that method? It's so frustrating that we're expected to keep doing our weekly claims but they won't even tell us when we might see a penny!

Work separation determinations are taking much longer than usual right now. The PA UC system is reviewing cases where employers have contested the separation reason, which creates the delay. Your best approach is to:\n\n1. Continue filing your weekly claims without fail\n2. Document all your job search activities meticulously\n3. Contact your state representative's office - they actually have liaisons with UC who can check your claim status\n4. Email the UC office through your dashboard (keep a copy of all communications)\n\nI went through this in February and waited 7 weeks. The rep can't speed up the determination, but they can verify if anything else is missing from your claim that might be causing additional delays.

Thank you for the detailed response. I didn't know state reps could help with UC claims - I'll definitely reach out to mine tomorrow. Did they give you any backpay for all those weeks you were waiting once they finally approved you?

they ALWAYS take forever with these!!! my sister waited 3 months and almost got evicted before they finally paid her. the system is a joke honestly

3 MONTHS?? Oh my god, I can't wait that long. Did she do anything special to finally get them to make a decision? Or did it just randomly get processed one day?

she just kept calling and calling... eventually got lucky and got someone who actually looked at her file. said her employer never responded to UC's request for info which was causing the hold-up

I'm an employment counselor who works with many UC claimants, and I can tell you that work separation determinations are currently facing significant delays. Here's what's actually happening:\n\nWhen you file, the UC office contacts your former employer for their version of the separation. By law, employers have 15 days to respond. If they don't respond in that timeframe, UC should automatically process your claim, but their backlog is causing additional delays.\n\nWhat often works for my clients is using Claimyr to actually reach a live agent (www.claimyr.com). They have a service that gets you through to an actual UC rep who can look at your file and see exactly what's causing the hold-up. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2\n\nAlso, make sure you've done all your identity verification through ID.me - sometimes that's what's holding things up rather than the work separation issue.\n\nRegardless, you WILL receive all back payments once your claim is approved, including the weeks you're currently waiting.

I used Claimyr last month when I had this EXACT issue with my work separation review. I was on week 5 of waiting and couldn't pay my car payment. Got through to a real person in like 20 minutes and found out my employer was disputing my claim saying I quit when I was actually laid off!!! The agent was able to schedule me an interview for the next week and I had my determination 3 days later. Worth every penny to not lose my car!!!

Thank you for explaining what's happening behind the scenes - it helps to understand the process. My ID.me verification is definitely complete (I did that right when I filed). I'm going to check out Claimyr because at this point I'm desperate to talk to an actual human who can tell me what's going on. And it's reassuring to know I'll get the backpay... if they ever approve me!

did u make sure to answer the fact finding questions about ur separation?? sometimes they send those and if u miss answering them it puts u in limbo. check ur dashboard and ur email spam folder!!

I double-checked my dashboard and emails (including spam) and don't see any fact finding questionnaires I missed. I filled out all that information when I initially filed - I remember answering questions about why I was let go. Is there usually a separate questionnaire they send later?

Yes, there can be. When there's a discrepancy between your reason for separation and your employer's, they often send a more detailed questionnaire through your dashboard. However, these notifications sometimes don't trigger an email alert, which is why it's important to log in regularly. I'd recommend checking your dashboard's

Just logged in again and checked Messages - nothing there either. I've been logging in every Sunday to file my weekly claim, so I don't think I missed anything. This is so frustrating!

THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME IN JANUARY!!!! I waited 9 WEEKS for my seperation determination and was about to be HOMELESS. The PA UC system is BROKEN and they DON'T CARE about regular people. I called my state rep and they did NOTHING. I finally managed to get through to someone at UC who told me my employer was claiming I was fired for misconduct when I was actually laid off with 30 other people!!! If your employer is fighting your claim, you're in for a long wait. I hope you have family that can help because UC sure won't!!

Oh no, I'm starting to worry my employer might be fighting it too. I was let go during a department restructuring, but my manager had written me up once a few weeks before for missing a deadline (even though it wasn't really my fault). I wonder if they're using that to claim misconduct? How did you finally get through to a person at UC to find this out?

I literally called 100+ times until I finally got through. Started calling right when they opened at 8am. You have to keep trying different options in their stupid phone tree too. Sometimes option 1-2-4 works, sometimes it's 1-1-3. It's like they WANT it to be impossible to reach anyone!!! If they ARE claiming misconduct you'll eventually get an interview scheduled but it could take WEEKS more. The whole system is designed to make people give up!!

have you tried 211? they sometimes can connect you with emergency rent assistance while youre waiting for unemployment to come through

I hadn't thought of that - thank you for the suggestion! I'll call 211 tomorrow. At this point I need any help I can get while waiting for UC to make a decision.

One important thing to note - when your claim is finally approved (and most are eventually approved), make sure you request the ReliaCard to be expedited. Once your claim is approved, it can take another 7-10 business days for your first payment to process and for them to mail you the ReliaCard if you didn't previously have one. You can request expedited shipping by speaking with a UC representative.\n\nAlso, while you're waiting, make sure you're applying for SNAP benefits if you qualify. Many people don't realize they can receive food assistance while waiting for unemployment determinations.

That's really helpful info about expediting the card - thank you! I did apply for SNAP benefits last week and have an appointment with them on Monday. I'm looking into every possible option at this point because I'm really scared about getting evicted.

If you've truly exhausted all contact methods with the UC office, there's one more official escalation path: the UC Board of Review. While they primarily handle appeals, they can sometimes intervene in cases with excessive delays. You can contact them at 717-787-5122.\n\nAdditionally, you might consider reaching out to Legal Aid in your county. They sometimes assist with administrative delays that threaten housing stability.

Thank you for that contact number! I'll try them tomorrow as well. And I didn't know Legal Aid could help with something like this - I'll definitely look into that too. I'm starting to feel a little less helpless with all these suggestions.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year! 7 weeks waiting for work separation determination, behind on everything. What finally worked for me was calling the UC office at exactly 7:59am and hitting redial over and over until I got through around 8:15am. The rep told me my employer had responded saying I was "terminated for performance" when I was actually laid off due to budget cuts. She was able to schedule me for a phone interview within 3 days, and I got my determination approved 2 days after that. Make sure you have documentation from your termination - any emails, your final paycheck stub, anything that shows it was a layoff/restructuring and not misconduct. Also, when you do get that interview, be very clear about the timeline and circumstances. I got all my backpay within a week of approval. Hang in there - it feels impossible but most people do eventually get approved!

I'm going through something very similar right now - been waiting 6 weeks for my work separation determination and it's absolutely devastating financially. Reading through all these responses has been really helpful, especially the specific phone strategies and knowing about resources like 211 and Legal Aid. @Anastasia Kozlov I really feel for you being 2 months behind on rent, that's terrifying. One thing I wanted to add that helped me a bit - if you haven't already, check if your local electric company has any emergency assistance programs. Mine let me set up a payment plan and waived the disconnect fee when I explained I was waiting for unemployment. Also, some food banks in PA don't require you to qualify for SNAP first, so that might help stretch what little money you have. I'm going to try Emma's 7:59am calling strategy tomorrow too. We shouldn't have to go through this but at least we're not alone in it. Sending you strength to get through this!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - the stress of waiting months for a determination while bills pile up is just crushing. I was in almost the exact same situation last fall and want to share what finally worked for me. After 10 weeks of waiting, I discovered that you can actually file a complaint with the PA Department of Labor & Industry's Office of Unemployment Compensation Benefits if your claim has been pending for an unreasonable amount of time. I called 717-787-3547 and explained that I was facing eviction due to the excessive delay. They assigned someone to look into my case specifically and I had a determination within 2 weeks after that call. Also, many counties in PA have emergency rental assistance programs that can help while you're waiting - try searching "[your county] emergency rental assistance" online. The Salvation Army and Catholic Charities often have emergency funds too, even if you're not religious. You're doing everything right by continuing to file weekly and document your job searches. This system is broken but you will get through this and you will get all your backpay. Don't give up!

Depending on what county you live in, you can receive back rent through non-profit organizations. If you have any dependents, than you definitely can and they will work faster. I'm going to link it here- Rent Assistance Programs — Affordable Housing Hub

Also here is a list of people who work directly with charities and organizations that can help you. I'm sorry, I have been there and it's scary but don't be afraid to reach out to these organizations. Lots of them have grants from the government. Just make sure you let them know that you lost your job and you are facing eviction. If you already have an eviction letter, they expedite the grants. Need Homeless Assistance? - HUD Exchange

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - the stress of waiting for UC while facing eviction is absolutely horrible. I went through something similar last year (8 weeks waiting for work separation determination) and want to share a few things that helped me: First, definitely try the early morning calling strategy others mentioned - I had success calling at 7:58am and hitting redial repeatedly until someone picked up around 8:25am. When I finally got through, I learned my employer had also disputed my claim. Second, while you're waiting, contact your county's Community Action Agency - they often have emergency rental assistance that can bridge you over until UC comes through. In my county, they were able to pay 2 months of back rent directly to my landlord within 10 days of applying. Also, if you haven't already, document EVERYTHING about your job separation - emails about restructuring, your final pay stub, any witnesses to layoffs, etc. If your employer is claiming misconduct vs. layoff, you'll need this evidence for your eventual interview. The wait is brutal but hang in there - once approved, you'll get every penny of backpay. Most work separation disputes do eventually get resolved in the claimant's favor if it was truly a layoff situation. You're doing everything right by continuing to file weekly and job search. This system is broken but you WILL get through this!