Waiting 18 weeks on my first unemployment payment - 18 weeks in

I applied for unemployment in Madison 18 weeks ago and the status page still says pending. I have read a lot of threads here and could not find my exact situation. The page shows my claim as open but no payment date.

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

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