Can I get PA UC benefits if my work hours got cut by 20 hours weekly?

Yes, you can definitely apply for partial UC benefits in Pennsylvania when your hours are cut! It's called partial unemployment. The basic rule is that if your hours are reduced through no fault of your own, you may qualify. A reduction from 38 to 18 hours is significant enough to potentially qualify. Make sure you apply as soon as the reduction happens - don't wait. When filing, you'll need to report any wages you still earn each week. PA UC will calculate a partial benefit based on your full benefit rate minus a portion of your part-time earnings. One thing to keep in mind: you'll still need to fulfill the work search requirements even though you're partially employed. That means applying to at least two jobs each week and completing one work search activity.

i got partial last yr when my job cut me from 40 to 22 hrs. u still gotta do the weekly claims and report watever u make at ur job each week. they subtract some of ur earnings from ur benefit amount. still got like $180/week which helped alot

The previous information about qualifying for partial benefits is correct. When your hours are reduced by your employer (not by your choice), you may be eligible for partial UC benefits in Pennsylvania. Here's what you need to know: 1. When applying, select "still working but hours reduced" as your reason for separation 2. You must report all gross earnings (before taxes) each week when filing your weekly claims 3. The formula PA uses: you can earn up to 30% of your weekly benefit rate without reduction; after that, for each dollar you earn, your benefit is reduced by a dollar 4. You still need to be able and available for additional work and complete your work search requirements Your sister's situation was likely different in some way that disqualified her claim. Each case is evaluated individually.

I went thru this exact same thing in 2023!!! Hours cut from 36 to 15 at my retail job. Applied for partial and got it no problem. Just remember you HAVE TO report your exact earnings each week or you could get hit with an overpayment later which is a nightmare to deal with!! Trust me on this one.

Yes, you still need to complete the work search requirements even though you remain employed part-time. This means: - Apply for at least two jobs each week - Complete one work search activity (like updating your resume, attending a job fair, etc.) - Keep detailed records of all your work search activities This is required because the UC program is designed to help you find suitable full-time employment. Since your hours were involuntarily reduced, they expect you to be looking for additional or replacement work to get back to full employment.

When I had my hours cut last summer, it took about 5 weeks to get my first payment and by then I was already behind on bills. I spent HOURS trying to call the UC office to check on my claim status but kept getting busy signals or disconnected. Incredibly frustrating! I finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual person at the UC office within 45 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. Honestly worth it because once I talked to someone, they were able to push my claim through that same day.

Yes it actually worked! Not sketchy at all - they just help you get through the phone system. I was desperate after trying for weeks. Got connected to a real person who fixed my claim issue in minutes.

Thanks everyone for the advice! I applied for partial unemployment yesterday and made sure to select "hours reduced" as the reason. Now I'm just anxiously waiting. I've started applying for other full-time jobs too since it seems like that's required anyway. I'll keep you all updated on how it goes, and if I have trouble getting through on the phone I might try that Claimyr service. Really appreciate all the help!

Oh and i forgot to mention when i was on partial UC they randomly selected me for an audit and I had to upload all my job search records!!! Keep detailed notes of everywhere you apply including contact info for each place. The job search requirements are no joke!

Partial benefits are better than nothing but the whole system is designed to underpay you. My hours got cut from 40 to 25 and I only got like $87 a week in benefits. Barely covered my groceries. The formula they use is totally unfair. And they expect you to be looking for other work while still working your reduced-hours job? Yeah good luck scheduling interviews when your current employer randomly changes your schedule every week. The whole system is designed to make you give up.