My first unemployment payment still has not arrived

I applied for unemployment in Madison 17 weeks ago and the status page still says pending. I am in Madison, in case local advice matters. The page shows my claim as open but no payment date. Has anyone been through this? How long did it take in the end?

Keep certifying every week even while you wait. If they find you eligible, the weeks you certified are the ones that count.

When I finally got through, the agent said my employer had responded late. Once that cleared, back pay came in one payment.