Waiting 26 weeks on my first unemployment payment - what worked for you?

I applied for unemployment in Knoxville 26 weeks ago and the status page still says pending. It has been weighing on me all week. The page shows my claim as open but no payment date. Has anyone been through this? How long did it take in the end?

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