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of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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    Unemployment

    Learn about Pennsylvania's unemployment programs, how to get benefits, report fraud, and more.

    UC FAQs
    Translation Notice
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    Unemployment Information

    Unemployment Benefits

    Unemployment benefits gives you money for a little while if you lose your job, or if you're working fewer hours than usual.

    Unemployment Benefits

    Unemployment Compensation (UC) Overpayment

    UC overpayment is when you get benefits you weren't supposed to.

    UC Overpayment

    Pennsylvania's Shared-Work Program

    The Shared-Work Program helps employers cut employee hours for a while, then return to normal without hiring or training new workers.

    Shared-Work Program

    Appeals & Claims

    Appeals and claims is when people try to change decisions about their unemployment money.

    Appeals & Claims

    Federal Programs

    Federal programs gives extra help to people who don't have a job.

    Federal Programs

    For Employers

    Provides employers with information like paying UC taxes, requesting relief from charges, and using the UC System.

    For Employers

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    These terms are similar. In Pennsylvania, we use the term ‘Unemployment Compensation’ but at the federal level and in most other states, they use the term ‘Unemployment Insurance.’

    Exhaustions is the term used when there are no benefits left to claim, as in your claim balance is exhausted.

    The first payment in a benefit year for a week of unemployment claimed under a specific program. 

    Initial claims is the term used for a new unemployment compensation claim.

    The number of weeks of benefits claimed, including weeks for which a waiting period or fixed disqualification period is being served.

    The number of weeks claimed for which UC benefits are paid. Weeks compensated for partial unemployment are included. 

    In Pennsylvania, most employment is covered by the UC program. Exceptions include some agricultural and seasonal workers, persons who are self-employed, officers of a corporation, professional athletes, and persons who are incarcerated. Civilian employees of the federal government are covered by the UCFE program, and ex-military 

    The Unemployment Compensation for Ex-servicemembers (UCX) Program is a federal program that provides UC benefits to former members of the Armed Forces and the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

     

    UC for Ex-Service Member (UCX)

    UCX is a federal program (5 U.S.C. 8521 et seq.) that governs the payment of UC to former members of the Armed Forces and the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) who fulfill the eligibility requirements of State and Federal law.

    The duration of regular UC benefits in Pennsylvania varies from 18 to 26 weeks, depending on the amount of benefits collected each week.

    In most cases, a debit card will be mailed to you after you have been determined financially eligible for benefits, just in case there are any issues with the direct deposit. However, it depends on when the direct deposit becomes active, so you may or may not receive a card. If you do receive one, do not discard it. Keep it in a safe place in case you ever need it to access benefit payments. Debit cards are valid for three years.

    Please note: The Pennsylvania Treasury does not allow certain bank routing numbers to be processed in their system for direct deposit due to the large volume of fraud associated with particular routing numbers. Please contact Treasury at 877-869-1956 to verify if your bank routing number will be accepted.

    Further information on direct deposit of UC Benefits is available here.

    A temporary extension of unemployment benefits available to individuals who have exhausted their Regular UC benefits and any temporary EUC.

    A temporary, federally-funded extension of unemployment benefits for those who have exhausted their Regular UC benefits.

    Unemployment Services