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Can I still collect PA UC benefits after moving to NJ? Address change question

Hey everyone! I'm in a tough spot financially and need to move back with my parents in New Jersey next month to save some money. I've been on PA unemployment since January after my marketing job was eliminated. My question is - can I continue collecting my PA benefits after I change my address to New Jersey? Do I need to notify UC before moving? Will this mess up my payments or trigger some kind of review? I'm worried about losing benefits during this transition since I definitely still need them. Has anyone gone through an out-of-state move while on PA benefits?

Keisha Robinson

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YES you can still collect! I moved to Delaware last year while on PA unemployment and it was fine. You just need to update your mailing address in the system. Log into your dashboard and go to "View/Maintain Account Information" and then update your contact details. Your benefits won't stop - you're eligible based on where you WORKED not where you LIVE.

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Yara Haddad

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Thank you!! That's such a relief to hear. Do you know if there was any delay in your payments when you updated your address?

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Paolo Conti

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make sure u still do the weekly claims on time tho. moving doesn't change ur responsibilities for claiming

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Amina Sow

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While it's true you can collect while living in another state, there are some important things to remember: 1. You must still be available for work in PA. If you move too far away, they could question whether you're truly able to accept PA employment. 2. You need to update your address in the system immediately, as mentioned above. 3. All your job search activities must still comply with PA requirements, not NJ requirements. 4. You'll still need to be able to attend any in-person meetings if requested (though most are phone/virtual now). I helped my brother navigate this exact situation when he moved to Maryland last year while on PA benefits. Just make sure you're transparent about the move.

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GalaxyGazer

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This is why I HATE the PA system!!! Why should someone have to be "available for work in PA" if there are NO JOBS in their field there?? The whole system is designed to make people fail. My cousin moved to Ohio and they cut her benefits claiming she wasn't "available" even though she was applying everywhere!!!

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Yara Haddad

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Thank you for this detailed info. NJ is right across the river from me, so I could definitely still work in PA if needed. I'm actually hoping to find remote work anyway which should be available anywhere.

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Oliver Wagner

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jst make sure ur mail forwrding is set up with post office too bc sometims uc sends important stuff by mail that u dont wanna miss

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When I moved back to my parents during covid (still in PA tho) I forgot to update my address for like 3 weeks and nothing bad happened. But definitely update it when you remember!

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One thing no one has mentioned is that you should also be prepared for potential delays in reaching PA UC if issues come up after you move. Since you'll be out of state, you might find it even harder than usual to get through on the phone lines if problems arise with your claim. I had a friend who moved to Virginia while on PA benefits and when an "open issue" suddenly appeared on her claim, she spent weeks trying to reach someone. She finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped her get through to an agent within an hour instead of days of redialing. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 Just something to keep in your back pocket if you run into issues after moving out of state and need to reach PA UC quickly.

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Yara Haddad

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That's a great tip, thank you. With my luck something will definitely go wrong right after I move! I'll bookmark that site just in case.

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Paolo Conti

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hey my cousin did this last yr, moved to ohio, only thing is make sure ur looking for work that u can actually take. they asked him in an interview if he could take a job in pittsburgh and he said no cuz he was in ohio, and they almost disqualified him!!! he had to explain he could do remote work. so just be careful how u answer stuff

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To answer your question about payment delays - I didn't experience any when I updated my address. The system processed it right away and my payments continued without interruption. But definitely set up mail forwarding like someone else suggested just to be safe!

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Yara Haddad

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Perfect - thanks for confirming! This has all been super helpful. I'll update my address as soon as I have my new one finalized (probably next week) and make sure to set up mail forwarding too.

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GalaxyGazer

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The REAL question is why are benefits so LOW that you have to move back with family?? PA benefits max out at $716/week which is NOTHING in today's economy!!! They haven't raised the maximum in YEARS while rent has doubled!!! The whole system needs to be overhauled!!

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Seriously! I'm getting way less than the max too, only like $380 a week. Can barely cover groceries with that 😩

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Yara Haddad

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Yeah, it's definitely not enough to live on independently in most places. I'm getting about $550/week which doesn't even cover my rent, let alone everything else. That's the main reason for the move - trying to stretch what I have until I find work.

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