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    UC Benefits

    Any individual who is unemployed may file a claim for UC benefits. However, the person who files a claim is not necessarily eligible for unemployment benefits. Specific benefit eligibility requirements must be met before benefits can be paid.

    Apply for Unemployment Compensation Benefits

    UC Benefits Information

    Base Year

    Under the Pennsylvania UC Law, a base year is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters prior to the quarter in which the claim was filed. For example, if a claim is filed in April, May or June, the base year period is the four calendar quarters which comprise the previous calendar year. The amount of wages received and credit weeks earned during the base year is used to determine if the individual meets the earnings requirements of the Law.

    A financial determination (Form UC-44F) which reflects all base-year employers, base-year wages paid and the amount of benefits the claimant may be entitled to receive, is issued to the claimant and each base-year employer. The determination shows the wages reported by the claimant's employer(s) for the base-year period and indicates whether the claimant meets wage and credit week requirements.

    Mass Layoff Assistance for Employers Experiencing a Plant Closing or Temporary Shutdown

    • REDUCE TIME
    • SAVE PAPERWORK
    • EXPEDITE CLAIM PROCESSING

    Employers experiencing a mass layoff situation, plant closing, or a temporary shutdown can reduce the amount of time and paperwork responding to UC Service Center requests for information necessary to process UC claims.

    Providing specific information by list to the Service Center prior to the employees' separations can eliminate the need to fill out individual Notices of Application and possibly other fact-finding forms for each employee, benefiting you, and expediting the processing of the UC benefits for the workers after the file for benefits. Individuals who are laid-off must complete an initial application for UC benefits; forms provided by the employer do NOT create a UC claim for the laid-off employee. Employees should be directed to file a claim.

    You can learn more about this valuable service by calling the toll-free UC Benefit Services for Employers line at 833-728-2367 (UC Service Centers). A claims representative will answer questions concerning mass layoff assistance or other employer services. If the plant closing is permanent and includes 100 or more workers, Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act information is available.

    Attention:

    The receipt of holiday and vacation pay by the worker affects his/her receipt of UC in the following ways:

    Holiday pay is deductible from UC benefits for the week the holiday occurs, regardless of when the money is paid to the claimant. Holiday pay will be deducted if it exceeds a claimant’s partial benefit credit.

    Vacation pay is only deducted if it exceeds the claimant’s partial benefit credit and the claimant has a definite date of recall. If the claimant is on a permanent or indefinite layoff, the vacation pay will not be deducted from the weekly benefit amount.

    Employer Information Form (UC-1609) - This simple form can prevent delays and wrong financial determinations, and save your company money and time. It must be completed and provided to all separating employees and/or employees working reduced hours.