PA UC benefit year ending with remaining balance - file new claim or continue current one?

You MUST file a new application when your benefit year ends, even if you have money left in your balance. The remaining balance doesn't carry over - it basically disappears. The system is designed this way because they need to re-evaluate your eligibility based on any work you've done in the past year. Your new weekly benefit amount will be calculated based on your employment during your base year (which shifts with your new application).

same thing happened to me in January, i still had like $2800 left but had to start over. super annoying!!

The previous responses are correct. When your benefit year ends, you must file a new application regardless of remaining balance. Here's what happens: 1. Your benefit year is exactly 52 weeks from when you first applied 2. When it ends, you need to file a new application (not just weekly claims) 3. They'll determine if you've earned enough wages in your new base year to qualify 4. If approved, you'll get a new benefit amount and balance 5. If denied, you may still qualify for Extended Benefits if available Make sure to file your new application as soon as your benefit year ends - don't wait. Your remaining balance does not transfer to the new claim.

I went thru this in February. File your last weekly claim for the old benefit year, THEN file the new application right after. Don't file the new application before filing your last weekly claim or you might miss out on that last payment.

my boyfriend had this problem & he couldn't get thru to anyone on the phone to ask questions. ended up missing 3 weeks of payments because he didn't know he had to file a new claim

THEY NEVER TELL U THIS STUFF!!! The whole system is designed to make people lose benefits. I lost 5 weeks of payments during my transition because nobody explained this to me. You have to file a whole new claim and go through the whole approval process again. It's complete BS that the leftover money just vanishes into thin air. YOUR MONEY that YOU EARNED through YOUR WORK!!!!!

To answer your follow-up question about the part-time work: Whether that's enough depends on how much you earned during your base year. For a new claim, they'll look at your wages in the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you apply. You need to have earned at least $116 per week in at least 18 weeks, or have total earnings of at least $1,688 in your highest quarter and total base year wages of at least $2,718.

btw when u file the new claim they'll make you do the ID.me verification again if u haven't done it recently. that part took me forever so be prepared for that

One more important note: Make sure to continue filing your weekly claims even while your new application is being processed. If approved, they will pay you retroactively for those weeks as long as you've certified properly. Many people make the mistake of stopping their weekly certifications during the transition and then lose those potential payments.

Yes, continue filing weekly claims even after your benefit year ends and you've submitted a new application. The system will know which claim to associate them with. If your new claim is approved, those weeks will be paid under the new claim. If denied, you haven't lost anything by filing the weekly certifications.