Can I collect both a small pension and PA UC benefits if laid off seasonally?

ya i think ur pension might affect ur benefits but it depends how much it is. my uncle got like $600 pension and they just reduced his UC by some % not eliminated it completely

PA UC does have what's called a "pension deduction" rule. If you receive a pension from an employer that contributed to your base year wages (the wages used to calculate your UC benefit), then your weekly UC benefit amount will be reduced. The reduction is calculated by taking your weekly pension amount and subtracting it from your weekly UC benefit. However, if your former employer (the one paying the pension) is NOT the same employer that laid you off, and they didn't contribute to your base year wages, then your pension might not affect your benefits at all. You should definitely disclose the pension when you apply for UC though.

I was in almost the exact same situation last year. I'm also semi-retired and work seasonally in construction. I get a pension from my old job at the steel mill that I worked at for 30 years. When I applied for UC after my seasonal layoff, I had to report my pension amount during the application process. Since my pension was from a different employer than the one who laid me off (and outside my base year period), it did NOT reduce my UC benefits at all! I was able to collect my full pension and my full UC payment each week. The key is that they were different employers. But be warned - you MUST report the pension when you apply. If you don't and they find out later, they'll hit you with an overpayment notice and possibly penalties for misrepresentation.

BE CAREFUL!!! i didnt report my 401k withdrawals when i got UC last year and they found out somehow and now i owe them $4,800 in overpayments plus theyre charging me a penalty!!!! PA UC doesnt mess around with this stuff. they look at EVERYTHING so dont try to hide ur pension!!!

Have you tried calling the UC service center to ask about your specific situation? I struggled for weeks to get through to them when I had a pension question. Eventually I found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to a PA UC agent without waiting for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 It was definitely worth it because the UC agent walked me through exactly how my pension affected my benefits. Every situation is a bit different based on when you worked, who paid into the pension, etc. Getting an official answer from them saved me a lot of stress.

Yes, it worked for me! Got through to a UC rep in about 20 minutes when I'd been trying for days on my own. They don't guarantee an immediate resolution of your issue, but at least you can talk to a human who can check your claim.

Hi there, I work seasonally too (construction) and collect UC every winter. The most important thing with seasonal work is to make sure you select "YES" to the question asking if you expect to return to work with your employer. This classifies you correctly as a seasonal worker rather than permanently laid off. As for the pension, my coworker gets both his pension and UC with no issues, but his pension is from his military service, not a previous employer. The rules are complicated so definitely get an official answer.

pension rules r so complicated!!! my brother had his UC reduced cause of pension but my neighbor didnt idk why the difference honestly PA UC system seems like it just does whatever it wants sometimes lol but definitely report everything or theyll come after you

Thank you all for the helpful information! I'm going to apply for UC this week and make sure I disclose my pension situation completely. Based on what everyone has shared, it sounds like I might be able to collect both without a reduction since my pension would be from a completely different employer than the one who laid me off seasonally. I'll update this thread after I speak with someone at the UC office to let you all know how it turned out. Thanks again for all your help!

Good luck with your application! Just wanted to add that when you do apply, keep detailed records of everything - save screenshots of your application, write down confirmation numbers, and keep copies of any documents you submit. The PA UC system can be glitchy sometimes and having your own records will help if there are any issues later. Also, don't be discouraged if your first payment takes a few weeks - seasonal claims sometimes get flagged for additional review, but that's normal. Hope everything works out for you!

I've been following this thread and wanted to share my experience as someone who went through a similar situation. I'm a retired teacher who gets a small pension from the state, and I also work part-time at a seasonal business. When I got laid off last winter, I was really worried about the pension affecting my UC benefits. After speaking with a UC representative (took forever to get through!), I learned that since my pension was from the state and my seasonal job was with a private company, there was no reduction to my benefits. The key factors they told me were: 1) Different employers, 2) The pension employer didn't contribute to my base year wages, and 3) I was completely honest about everything on my application. One thing I'd add to the great advice already given - when you file your weekly claims, you'll need to report your pension amount each week. Even though it doesn't reduce your benefits, you still have to report it. Don't worry though, the system will automatically calculate whether it affects your payment or not. Also, make sure you understand the difference between a pension and retirement account withdrawals - they're treated very differently! Best of luck with your application!

I went through something very similar about 3 years ago! I'm a retired postal worker who gets a federal pension, and I also work seasonally at a golf course that closes every winter. When I first applied for UC, I was terrified they'd deny me because of the pension, but it turned out fine. The UC office told me that since my postal pension and my golf course job were completely separate employers with no overlap in my base year wages, there was zero impact on my benefits. I collected my full pension AND my full UC weekly benefit amount all winter long. A few practical tips from my experience: 1) When you apply online, there's a specific section about pensions - be super detailed about dates, amounts, and the employer who's paying it. 2) Keep your pension award letter handy in case they ask for documentation later. 3) The first time you certify for benefits, it might take an extra week or two to process while they verify everything, but that's totally normal. One thing that really helped me was calling right when they opened at 8am on a Tuesday - seemed to be the best time to actually get through to someone. The agent I spoke with was really helpful and walked me through exactly how they handle pension situations like ours. You're doing the right thing by being upfront about everything. Honesty really is the best policy with UC! Keep us posted on how it goes!

I just wanted to chime in as someone who works in HR and deals with UC claims regularly. The advice you've gotten here is spot on - the key factor is whether your pension employer contributed to your base year wages used to calculate your UC benefit amount. Since your landscaping layoff and your previous 25-year employer are completely separate, you should be in good shape. One additional tip: when you apply online, make sure you have the exact monthly pension amount ready (even if you haven't started collecting yet, you should have an estimate from your pension administrator). The UC system is very specific about dollar amounts. Also, if you haven't actually started collecting the pension yet, you might want to coordinate the timing - you can start your UC claim immediately after your layoff, but you could potentially delay starting your pension until after you return to work in spring if that makes the situation cleaner. The most important thing is complete transparency on your application. PA UC has gotten much better at cross-referencing data from various sources, so hiding anything will definitely come back to bite you. Good luck with both your application and your pension decision!

I've been reading through this thread and wanted to add some insight from someone who recently went through the appeals process. I'm a retired nurse who gets a pension from the hospital system where I worked for 20 years, and I also work part-time at a seasonal garden center. When I first applied for UC after my seasonal layoff, I was completely honest about my pension but the system initially flagged my claim and reduced my benefits. I thought that was wrong based on what I'd read, so I requested a phone hearing to appeal the decision. During the hearing, the judge determined that since my hospital pension and garden center job were from completely different employers with no base year overlap, there should be NO reduction to my UC benefits. The key documentation that helped my case was: 1) My pension award letter showing the exact dates of my hospital employment, 2) Pay stubs from the garden center showing my recent work history, and 3) A statement I wrote explaining the timeline of both jobs. The whole appeals process took about 6 weeks, but I eventually got back-paid for all the weeks they had incorrectly reduced my benefits. My advice would be to apply honestly as everyone has suggested, but don't be afraid to appeal if they initially make a mistake on your claim. Sometimes the automated system gets it wrong, especially with more complex situations involving pensions. The appeals officers and judges seem to have a much better understanding of the nuanced rules. Good luck!