I went through this exact same nightmare last year - 12 weeks stuck on pending with no explanation. What finally broke it loose for me was getting through to an actual UC agent and discovering there was a "separation issue" flag on my account that wasn't showing up anywhere in the portal. The agent was able to clear it in literally 5 minutes once we talked. The problem is getting through to someone who can actually see what's causing the hold-up. Since your state rep is backed up, I'd definitely try that Claimyr service Jessica mentioned - it worked for my cousin too. Also, make sure when you do get through to ask specifically "what verification or separation issues are preventing my claim from being processed" because sometimes the agents won't volunteer that information unless you ask directly.

I'm dealing with something similar right now - 8 weeks pending and getting nowhere with the phone calls. Reading through all these responses is actually giving me some hope though. I had no idea about services like Claimyr or that there could be hidden flags in the system not showing up in the portal. @Sophia Carson - I really hope you get this resolved soon. Your situation sounds absolutely awful and I can't imagine going 14 weeks without any income. Please keep us updated on what works for you because I think a lot of us are in similar boats. Also want to echo what others said about PA 211 - they helped my neighbor with emergency utility assistance last month when she was waiting on disability payments. Don't give up!

I just went through this exact same situation last week! PA UC called me from 717-787-3547 which I'd never seen before, so I missed it too. When I called back the main number (888-313-7284), they told me they sometimes use different regional numbers depending on which examiner is handling your case. The agent said as long as you call them back within 48 hours of a missed call, it won't negatively impact your claim. They were actually pretty understanding about the spam filter issue since it's so common now. Hope this helps!

Pro tip from someone who's been through this multiple times - if you have an iPhone, you can actually add all the PA UC numbers mentioned here to one contact called "PA Unemployment" so they all show up as the same caller. Just edit the contact and keep adding phone numbers to it. I have 888-313-7284, 717-525-5160, 717-787-3547, and a couple others all saved under one contact. Makes it way easier to recognize when they're calling, even from different regional offices!

Last month when this happened they extended the filing deadline by 2 days so everyone had time to file. Hopefully they'll do the same thing this time since it's their system that's messing up not us. I'm just tired of how glitchy everything is with PA unemployment. It's like they make it difficult on purpose.

UPDATE: Just managed to get in and file my weekly claim. Looks like the site is working again. Go try now before it goes down again!

Just wanted to add another data point - I received my PA UC check yesterday and it was mailed last Wednesday, so that was 4 business days. Pretty consistent with what others are reporting here. One thing I noticed is that my check arrived in a plain white envelope with just "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" in the return address corner - no obvious UC branding. So if you're watching for it, don't expect anything that screams "unemployment check." Also, mine came via regular mail, not certified or anything requiring signature. Definitely echoing everyone else about switching to direct deposit though - the peace of mind alone is worth it!

I'm new to PA unemployment and just had my first check mailed out yesterday. Reading through everyone's experiences here is really helpful - sounds like 3-5 business days is the norm, which isn't too bad. I'm definitely planning to switch to direct deposit after this first payment since it seems like that's way more reliable. One question though - for those who switched from checks to direct deposit, did you have to wait for a full payment cycle before it took effect, or was it faster? I want to make sure I don't miss any payments during the transition. Thanks for all the real-world timing info everyone has shared!

I went through something similar last year - my claim was stuck in review for 6 weeks. Here's what finally worked for me: I contacted my state rep AND also reached out to the PA Department of Labor & Industry's ombudsman office. You can find the ombudsman contact info on the PA.gov website under "File a Complaint." They're specifically there to help resolve UC issues that aren't getting addressed through normal channels. Between my rep and the ombudsman, my claim was finally processed within a week. Don't feel bad about escalating - you've waited long enough and you deserve answers!

I'm in a similar situation - my claim has been under review for 3 weeks now and I'm starting to get worried. Reading through all these responses is really helpful! It sounds like 4 weeks is definitely long enough to start escalating. I think I'm going to wait one more week and if there's still no movement, I'll contact my state rep. The ombudsman office suggestion is great too - I had no idea that existed. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, it's reassuring to know I'm not alone in dealing with this frustrating system.