PA UC benefits ending soon - can I file a new claim after seasonal school job layoff?

Unfortunately, you can't just file a new claim when your benefits run out if it's within the same benefit year. PA UC rules require you to have earned new qualifying wages since the beginning of your current benefit year. The system is designed this way to prevent continuous claiming without new employment. You'd need to have returned to work and earned at least 6x your weekly benefit rate in covered employment to qualify for additional benefits through what's called the "Extended Filing" process. Otherwise, you'll need to wait until your current benefit year ends completely (usually 52 weeks from when you first applied) and have sufficient qualifying wages in your base year to establish a new claim.

hey i was in a similar situation last yr. the school district thing is tricky because sometimes they consider it seasonal work. did they officially lay you off with documentation? or just not schedule you? this matters for ur claim!!

The previous response is correct about needing new qualifying wages, but I want to add some important details: 1. Double-check your financial determination to see exactly when your benefit year ends (it's a full year from when you FIRST filed, not when you reopened) 2. If you worked at all between your initial claim and when you reopened it, those wages might potentially qualify you for a new claim once your benefit year ends 3. Make sure you're meeting all work search requirements (applying to at least 2 jobs and completing 1 work search activity each week) to avoid any issues with your remaining benefits 4. Regular UC extensions aren't currently available in Pennsylvania (those were temporary pandemic programs) Your best approach is to continue your job search while collecting remaining benefits, then check your eligibility for a new claim once your benefit year officially ends.

The system is DESIGNED to leave people hanging! I went through the EXACT same thing with a school district job. They tell you to apply for everything under the sun but won't help when benefits run out!!!! The whole "benefit year" thing is just their excuse to cut people off. And good luck getting anyone on the phone to actually explain your options. I spent HOURS calling that stupid number and getting hung up on. The whole system needs to be FIXED.

did u try amazon warehouse? they hire like everybody n the pay is decent. better than waiting for uc to maybe approve u again

One other important note: Since you worked for a school district, make sure your claim wasn't denied under the "reasonable assurance" provision. This typically affects school employees between terms. However, since you received an official termination letter stating your position was eliminated, you should be exempt from this provision. If you see any mention of "reasonable assurance" or "school employee provisions" in your claim documents, you may want to upload that termination letter again and contact UC to ensure they understand your situation correctly. This could potentially affect your benefits eligibility.

UPDATE: I checked my UC account and my benefit year officially ends March 15, 2025. That gives me about 2 months after my benefits exhaust. I also calculated my wages from the 2 months I worked between claims and it's almost enough to qualify for a new claim according to the calculator on the PA UC site. I'm going to keep applying everywhere and hope for the best. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!

btw if u worked at a school have u tried applying at daycares or afterschool programs?? they always need people with experience working w/ kids and it might be easier to get in there vs regular office jobs esp if u have special needs experience