Just an FYI - make sure you continue filing your weekly claims even while waiting for the payment to show up. I made the mistake of thinking I didn't need to file during that limbo period and lost a week of benefits. Don't be like me!

I had something similar happen about 6 months ago - went from denial to approval in the same day! In my case, the transaction numbers appeared on the Friday afternoon (claim was approved on Thursday), and I had the money on my card by the following Tuesday. Since you're already seeing benefit amounts on your dashboard, that's the hardest part behind you. The waiting is brutal when you're down to your last $20 though - I totally get that stress. Just keep checking your dashboard early in the morning (around 6-7 AM) over the next couple days, that's usually when the system updates with transaction numbers.

OK so I just filed my new claim after my benefit year ended. The system is showing "pending" right now. I'm still so nervous about what's going to happen. I really appreciate everyone's help and advice here. I'll update once I hear something back from UC about whether I'm approved or denied for a new benefit year.

When my benefit year ended last month, I had major problems with my new application because the system didn't recognize my employer's business ID correctly. I ended up getting a denial letter with incorrect information. After trying to call for three days straight and never getting through, I found out about claimyr.com from a friend. They connected me to a PA UC agent who fixed everything in one call. My new claim went from denied to approved in 48 hours after they corrected the employer information. Just sharing in case anyone else runs into similar issues.

Update: I finally got through to PA UC yesterday! The claims examiner confirmed there was an availability issue flag on my account from that one week I reported being sick. She took my statement explaining it was a temporary illness and said they'll make a determination within 7-10 days. She also said I should receive payments for all eligible weeks after that one sick week once the issue is resolved. Such a relief to finally talk to someone! Will post again when I (hopefully) get my backpay.

This exact same thing happened to me back in 2023! I was honest about being sick with COVID for a few days and it triggered a months-long nightmare with PA UC. What finally worked for me was sending a written statement through their online portal explaining that my illness was temporary and I was fully available for work before and after that week. I also included a timeline showing exactly which days I was unavailable vs. available. The key thing the examiner told me later was being very specific about the temporary nature of the illness and emphasizing that I resumed normal job search activities immediately after recovering. It took about 3 weeks after submitting the written statement to get everything resolved, but I did receive all my backpay. Hang in there - the system is frustrating but you should get your money once they review your case!

So did u get all the back pay for those 6 weeks too? When I finally got approved they only gave me for like 4 weeks and said I was "ineligible" for the first 2 weeks but never explained why

Congrats on finally getting approved! The waiting is absolutely brutal. From my experience with PA UC, direct deposits typically take 2-3 business days after the payment date shows in your portal. Since you mentioned today is your payment date, you should see the money by Friday or Monday at the latest. My bank usually shows pending deposits the day before they clear, so keep an eye on your account. The good news is that once you get your first payment, the subsequent ones tend to be more consistent timing-wise. Fingers crossed it arrives before your bills are due Monday!

They said they're severely understaffed and have a backlog of claims with 'open issues' that require manual review. Apparently these don't get looked at in any particular order unless you call in. The rep admitted it's a broken system but said calling is definitely the way to speed things up. Good luck!

I'm in almost the exact same situation - filed my claim on January 13th and still waiting for my first payment. Like you, I've been using Indeed and LinkedIn mostly for job searches and was worried about the CareerLink requirement. Reading all these responses is really helpful! I've been keeping detailed records of all my applications (company name, position, date applied, etc.) and doing way more than the minimum 2 per week. It's good to know the platform doesn't matter as long as you document everything properly. I also have an 'open issue' showing on my dashboard with no explanation. Definitely going to try calling this week - or maybe that Claimyr service if the phones are still impossible. This whole system is so frustrating when you're already stressed about finances!