I'm so sorry you're going through this stress - the waiting is absolutely brutal when you're depending on these benefits. I went through something similar last year where my claim sat in "under review" for 6 weeks. What finally worked for me was calling the UC office repeatedly using a redial app on my phone starting at exactly 7:58 AM. It took about 45 minutes of constant redialing but I finally got through to someone who could see that my claim was flagged for income verification from a previous employer. Once I provided the documents they needed, it was approved within 3 days and I got all the backpay. Don't give up on calling - it's frustrating but sometimes that's the only way to find out what's actually holding up your claim. Also make sure to check if there are any document upload requests in your online portal that you might have missed. Keep filing those weekly claims no matter what!

I'm in week 4 of "under review" status and this thread has been incredibly helpful - thank you all for sharing your experiences! It's both reassuring and terrifying to see how long some of you have been waiting, but knowing that most people eventually get approved with full backpay gives me some hope. The complete lack of communication from PA UC is what's driving me crazy the most. @Kaitlyn Otto your redial app strategy sounds genius - I'm definitely going to try that tomorrow morning. @Skylar Neal I'm also seriously considering that Claimyr service you mentioned since traditional calling seems nearly impossible. The financial stress is getting really intense but at least now I know I'm not alone in this nightmare. Going to keep filing my weekly claims religiously and documenting everything just in case. Hopefully we all get some movement on our claims soon!

Connor, I just went through a very similar situation in PA last month! Got fired from my sales job for missing targets and my manager also threatened that I wouldn't get benefits. I was so scared I almost didn't apply, but I'm so glad I did because I got approved! Here's what helped me: I kept detailed records of all my sales activities, training sessions, and client interactions to show I was genuinely trying to succeed. When PA UC interviewed me, I explained that I was putting in effort but just couldn't close enough deals in the short time I was there. The investigator told me that not meeting quotas is usually considered a "lack of skill or ability" rather than willful misconduct, especially when you can show you were trying. Your employer can contest it (mine did), but UC makes the final decision based on facts, not threats. One thing that really helped my case was that I documented every training I attended and every sales call I made. If you have any of that kind of documentation, definitely bring it up during your interview with UC. Don't let them intimidate you - apply right away and be completely honest about everything. The system is designed to help people who lose their jobs through no fault of their own, and that includes people who just aren't cut out for certain sales roles. You've got this!

I'm really sorry you're dealing with this stress, Connor. As someone who's been through a similar situation, I wanted to add that your employer's threats about blocking your claim are really just scare tactics. They can contest your claim, but they absolutely cannot "block" you from applying or make the final decision. What really matters is whether you were making a good faith effort to meet expectations. The fact that you're a travel healthcare recruiter who's only been there 3 months is actually important context - that's a complex field that typically requires time to build relationships and develop expertise. Most people would agree that 3 months isn't enough time to fairly judge someone's ability in that role. When you apply (and you definitely should apply right away), focus on being factual about your termination reason and emphasize any efforts you made to improve your performance. If you have any documentation of training you completed, goals you worked toward, or feedback you received, mention that too. The unemployment system exists specifically for situations like yours - people who lose their jobs through no fault of their own, which includes being let go for performance reasons when you were genuinely trying. Don't let their intimidation tactics work. You have every right to apply and let PA UC make the determination based on the actual facts, not your employer's threats.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! I filed my initial claim about 10 days ago and completely spaced on adding my 12-year-old daughter as a dependent. I've been trying to get through to the UC service center but keep getting those dreaded busy signals. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both reassuring and nerve-wracking - sounds like it's definitely possible to get this fixed, but the phone system is a real nightmare. I'm going to try some of the strategies mentioned here like calling on Tuesday or Wednesday afternoons, and I love the idea of keeping a detailed log of my attempts. Has anyone had success reaching them through the online messaging system, or is phone really the only way to add dependents? Also, for those who got backdated payments, did you have to provide any specific documentation beyond birth certificates and SSNs?

Just wanted to share my recent success story to give everyone hope! I was in the same situation as many of you - forgot to add my two kids (ages 6 and 14) when I initially filed my PA UC claim back in February. After reading through all the advice in this thread, I decided to try the Tuesday morning strategy that Max mentioned. Called at 7:50 AM yesterday and actually got through after only 20 minutes on hold! The representative was super understanding when I explained I'd been trying to reach them for over a week. She added both my children to my claim and even noted in my file that I had attempted to contact them multiple times since filing. She couldn't promise anything about backdating, but said the notation would help if there's ever a review. The dependent allowance should show up in my next weekly payment. For anyone still trying to get through - don't give up! The Tuesday morning time slot really seemed to work, and having all my kids' info ready (SSNs, birth dates, birth certificates) made the actual call go super smoothly once I got connected.

Great advice everyone! Just to add one more tip - when you're filling out the employer information section, double-check that you enter the correct employer name exactly as it appears on your paperwork/offer letter. I made the mistake of using an abbreviation of my company name instead of the full legal name, and it caused a delay in processing that took weeks to resolve. PA UC cross-references employer information, so accuracy is key. Also, if you're unsure about your exact gross earnings for the week, it's better to slightly overestimate than underestimate - you can always correct it later, but underreporting can trigger fraud investigations. Wishing you the best with your final claim this Sunday!

One thing I learned the hard way - make sure you have your Social Security card or know your SSN by heart when filing! The system will ask for it to verify your identity, and if you enter it wrong too many times it can lock you out for 24 hours. Also, don't stress too much about the exact dollar amount if you haven't gotten your first paycheck yet. You can estimate your gross earnings by multiplying hours worked by your hourly rate. Just be as accurate as possible and keep records. The fact that you're asking these questions ahead of time shows you're being responsible about it. You've got this!

Hey there! I just went through a similar situation with my job doing rolling 3-day weeks for about 2 months. Definitely file for the ongoing Friday shutdowns - it's absolutely worth it! I was getting around $160/week which made a huge difference. A couple things that helped me: First, make sure your husband keeps all his pay stubs and writes down exact hours worked each week. The PA system sometimes glitches and you might need to prove your earnings later. Second, for the work search requirements (yes, you still have to do them even with partial unemployment), I found that attending virtual workshops through the local workforce development board counted as activities, plus updating my LinkedIn profile and doing those career assessments on PA CareerLink. The single Tuesday probably isn't worth the hassle - I tried filing for just one random day once and spent more time on paperwork than the benefit was worth. But ongoing reduced hours? Definitely file ASAP because of that waiting week. And be prepared for some frustration with the phone system if you need to call - I recommend trying early morning around 8 AM for the best chance of getting through. Good luck! The system isn't perfect but the extra money really does help when you're dealing with reduced hours.

I've been through this exact scenario with my job doing mandatory shutdowns every Friday for about 4 months last year. Definitely file for the ongoing Friday situation - it's absolutely worth it! I was getting about $140/week which really helped offset the lost wages. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier: when you file your weekly certification, make sure to report your earnings for the actual week you worked, not when you get paid. So if you worked Monday-Thursday but don't get paid until the following Friday, report those earnings for the week you actually worked. This tripped me up initially and caused some confusion with my claim. For work search requirements, I found that PA CareerLink has tons of free webinars and virtual job fairs that count as activities. I'd usually do one webinar and update my profile there each week - much easier than applying to random jobs when you already have steady employment. Also, if you need to call PA UC for any reason, try calling right when they open at 8 AM on Tuesdays or Wednesdays - way better chance of getting through. Skip the one-day Tuesday filing though - the administrative hassle isn't worth it for just one day. But for ongoing reduced hours, definitely get that claim started ASAP because of the waiting week. Keep detailed records of everything and you should be fine!