PA UC benefits exhausted then fired after returning to work - can I file again immediately?
So I'm in a weird spot with my unemployment. My PA UC benefits have pretty much run dry (maybe 1-2 weeks left). I've got a job interview tomorrow that looks promising, but I'm nervous about the company's stability. What happens if I get this job, work there for 6-8 weeks, and then get laid off? Am I completely out of luck for unemployment since I just exhausted my benefits? Is there a waiting period before I can apply for UC again, or does going back to work for even a short time reset things? This company has had layoffs twice in the past year (according to the recruiter being surprisingly honest), so I'm trying to understand my safety net if things go south. Thanks for any help!
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Micah Trail
This question comes up a lot! If you exhaust benefits and then return to work, the key is how long you work before getting laid off again. In PA, you need to earn 6x your weekly benefit rate AND work at least 6 weeks to reestablish eligibility during the same benefit year. If you're in a new benefit year (12+ months from when you first applied), you can file a new claim immediately regardless. But beware - your new weekly benefit amount might be much lower depending on what you earn at this new job.
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Kristin Frank
•Thanks for the quick reply! So to make sure I understand - if my benefit year hasn't ended yet, I need to work at least 6 weeks AND earn 6x my weekly benefit amount at this new job to qualify again if I get laid off? My weekly benefit is $487 right now, so that would be... almost $3,000 I'd need to earn? And is that before or after taxes??
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Nia Watson
i went thru this exact thing last yr got laid off worked 2 months at amazon then they cut my job and i had to reapply. they made me wait til my benfit year ended which was like 2 more months it SUCKED so bad
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Kristin Frank
•Ugh that's exactly what I'm worried about! Did you at least qualify for a new claim after your benefit year ended? Did the 2 months at Amazon help your new claim amount or hurt it?
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Alberto Souchard
You didn't mention when your benefit year ends. That's SUPER important info for your situation. If you have 1-2 weeks left of benefits but your benefit year ends in like 9 months, that's one thing. But if your benefit year ends soon, you could just file a new claim right after that date if you get laid off from the new job. I would DEFINITELY take that job though - even unstable work looks better than gaps when applying for your next position!
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Kristin Frank
•Sorry I should have mentioned that! My benefit year ends in November 2025, so about 4 months from now. I'm definitely taking the job if they offer it - I need the income regardless. Just trying to plan for worst-case scenarios.
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Katherine Shultz
To clarify some misinformation above: In PA, you need to earn 6x your weekly benefit rate AND work at least 18 DAYS (not 6 weeks) to requalify in the same benefit year after exhausting benefits. This falls under what's called the "requalification" rules. Also, earnings are GROSS (before taxes). If you're making $20/hr at your new job working full-time, you'll hit the earnings requirement in about 3-4 weeks. BUT if your benefit year ends before you get laid off from the new job, you'll file a completely new claim based on your most recent 18 months of earnings.
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Alberto Souchard
•You're right about the 18 days vs 6 weeks - I was thinking of a different state requirement. Good catch! The rules get so complicated and vary state by state.
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Marcus Marsh
when i got layed off after going back to work they told me i had to work 6x my weekly benfit. but the lady on the phone said diffrent thing than whats on there website. PA UC system is soooo messy
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Hailey O'Leary
•THIS!!! I literally spent THREE DAYS trying to get accurate info from PA UC about requalifying after partial employment. Every time I called I'd get disconnected or get different answers. Then I found Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they got me through to an actual claims specialist in about 35 minutes who explained everything correctly. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 - Completely worth it compared to the weeks of busy signals I was dealing with before.
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Cedric Chung
Anybody here know if OP has to do the work search requirements for these last 2 weeks since they have an interview already? Always confused about that part of PA UC.
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Katherine Shultz
•Yes, work search requirements continue until you're actually employed. An interview doesn't count as employment. OP still needs to complete and document 2 work search activities each week until employed or benefits are exhausted, whichever comes first.
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Kristin Frank
Thanks everyone for the info! I'm going to take the job if offered and hope for the best. From what I understand now: 1. If I get laid off before my benefit year ends in November, I'll need to have worked at least 18 days AND earned about $3,000 (6x my WBR) to requalify 2. If I get laid off after my benefit year ends, I'll file a completely new claim 3. I should keep doing my work search activities until I actually start the new job Fingers crossed the new job works out and is stable! If not, at least I have a better understanding of what happens next.
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Micah Trail
•That's exactly right! Good luck with the interview tomorrow. One more tip - if you do get laid off from the new job, make sure to apply for unemployment IMMEDIATELY, even if you think you might not qualify. PA UC will make the determination, and it's always better to have an application in the system.
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