PA UC benefit year ending after 26 weeks - How do extensions work in 2025?

Thanks for the info, even if it's not what I was hoping to hear. So there's no point in continuing to file weekly claims after I hit the 26 week mark? And if I do find temp work that doesn't last, I basically have to wait until my full benefit year expires before applying again?

Good point about TRA (Trade Readjustment Allowances), but that's very specific. It only applies if you lost your job due to foreign imports or your job was moved to another country, AND you qualify for the Trade Adjustment Assistance program. Healthcare admin jobs typically don't qualify for this, but it's worth mentioning for others reading the thread.

I feel you. I've been applying to at least 10 jobs every week but either get no response or they offer $5/hr less than I was making before. I can't survive on that. Did you find any other assistance programs that helped after UC ran out?

I haven't tried CareerLink yet, that's a good suggestion. Do they have specific programs for healthcare fields? And about the benefit amount - I think mine is calculated correctly ($468/week) based on what I was earning, but I'll double check.

Is that service legit? I've been trying to call UC for weeks about a different issue and keep getting disconnected or endless busy signals.

That's good to know about partial benefits. I might have to look for part-time work in the meantime. Do you know if they extend the number of weeks when you get partial, or does it still count as using a full week of benefits?

That makes sense, thank you for explaining it so clearly. I guess my focus needs to be on finding any work I can, even if it's not ideal. I have about 8 weeks before my benefit year ends, so hopefully I can find something that gives me enough qualifying wages for a new claim if needed.

That's true - extensions are tied to the unemployment rate. If PA's unemployment rate hits certain thresholds, Extended Benefits (EB) can trigger on automatically. Hasn't happened in a while though, since overall unemployment numbers have been relatively low even though certain industries are still struggling.

my sister got on snap when her uc ran out. its not much but helps with food at least

Thanks for the suggestion. I might try that next week if I have specific questions about transitioning off benefits or how to properly document my job search efforts for when/if I need to file a new claim after my benefit year ends.

That's really helpful about the temp agencies specializing in healthcare admin - I hadn't thought about that angle. Do you have any specific agencies you'd recommend, or should I just start googling "healthcare temp agencies" in my area? And you're absolutely right about documenting job applications better. I've been kind of sloppy about keeping detailed records, but if I need to file a new claim after my benefit year ends, I want to make sure I'm covered. It's definitely stressful trying to manage all of this while job hunting. Thanks for sharing your experience!

@Nia Jackson Really good advice about the temp agencies! I m'also dealing with healthcare admin job scarcity in my area. Have you had any luck with the temp route so far? I m'wondering if those short-term assignments actually lead to permanent positions or if it s'mostly just filling gaps. Also curious about your experience with the work search documentation - are you keeping a spreadsheet or using some other system? I ve'been pretty informal about tracking my applications but sounds like I need to get more organized before my benefits run out.

@Nia Jackson This is really solid advice! I m'also in healthcare admin and seeing the same competitive market. The temp agency idea is smart - even if it doesn t'lead to permanent work right away, at least it builds recent work history which could help when applying for a new UC claim later. I ve'been using a simple Excel spreadsheet to track applications company (name, position, date applied, contact info, follow-up dates but) honestly I should probably be more detailed about specific job requirements and my qualifications for each role. The documentation requirements seem to be getting stricter based on what I m'reading online. Have you found any particular temp agencies that actually understand healthcare admin roles vs just generic office temp work?

@Nia Jackson That s'excellent advice about temp agencies and documentation! I ve'been pretty disorganized with my job search tracking too. For temp agencies, I d'suggest looking specifically for ones that mention healthcare "staffing or" medical "administration rather" than just general office temp work. They usually understand the specific software and compliance requirements for healthcare admin roles. I ve'had better luck with agencies that specialize in healthcare placements because they actually know what EMR systems, HIPAA requirements, and medical billing experience mean. As for documentation, I m'switching to a more detailed spreadsheet that includes job posting URLs, specific qualifications listed, and which requirements I meet/don t'meet. Figure if I need to justify my work search efforts later, having that level of detail will help show I m'being strategic about applications rather than just applying randomly.

@Nia Jackson Thanks for mentioning the temp agency route - that s'actually brilliant! I ve'been so focused on permanent positions that I hadn t'really considered how temp work could help build up qualifying wages for a future claim. Do you know if there s'a minimum amount you need to earn during your benefit year to qualify for a new claim? I m'wondering if even a few weeks of temp work might be enough to meet whatever the threshold is. Also totally agree about the documentation - I ve'been pretty casual about tracking my applications but sounds like I need to step up my game before benefits run out.

This is super helpful information about the $3,000 base period requirement! I had no idea it was that specific. So if I understand correctly, if I can earn at least $3,000 through temp work or part-time jobs during my current benefit year, that would count toward qualifying for a new claim once this benefit year ends? That actually makes the temp agency route seem much more strategic - not just for immediate income but for setting up future eligibility. Do you remember roughly how many hours/weeks of temp work it took you to hit that $3,000 threshold? I'm trying to figure out if it's realistic to achieve that in the remaining weeks I have left in my benefit year.

@Brielle Johnson This is exactly the kind of detailed info I was looking for! The $3,000 base period requirement is really helpful to know - makes me feel like temp work could actually be a viable strategy rather than just a desperate move. I m'curious about the timing aspect too. Since my benefit year doesn t'end for another 8 weeks, and assuming I could find temp work paying around $15-20/hour, it seems like even 10-15 hours per week could potentially get me close to that $3,000 threshold. Did you find that temp agencies were understanding about your situation, or did you just apply without mentioning the UC benefits aspect? Also, when you say some agencies offer benefits after certain hours - do you mean health insurance or other types of benefits? That could be a huge help during the transition period.

@Brielle Johnson This is really valuable info about the $3,000 base period requirement! I m'actually the original poster and this gives me a much clearer strategy moving forward. So if I can earn $3,000 through temp work in my remaining 8 weeks before the benefit year ends, I d'potentially qualify for a new claim? That seems totally doable - even at $15/hour that s'only 200 hours or about 25 hours per week. Much more realistic than I thought! Did you find that healthcare-specific temp agencies paid better than general office temp work? And when you mentioned some agencies offering benefits after certain hours, I m'really curious about that - health insurance coverage during the gap between UC claims would be huge. Thanks for sharing your experience, it s'giving me hope that there s'actually a path forward here.

@Brielle Johnson This is incredibly helpful! I m'just joining this conversation but dealing with the exact same situation - approaching my 26-week limit and panicking about what comes next. The $3,000 base period requirement is news to me but actually makes me feel more optimistic. I ve'been so focused on finding full-time permanent work that I completely overlooked how strategic temp work could be for future UC eligibility. Quick question - when you calculated hitting that $3,000 threshold, did you factor in taxes being taken out, or is that based on gross earnings? Also, did the temp agencies you worked with understand that you were on UC benefits, or is that something you kept to yourself during the application process? I m'worried about any potential complications with reporting temp income while still receiving partial UC benefits. Thanks for sharing your success story - it s'giving me a concrete action plan instead of just feeling helpless!