PA UC bi-weekly claim questions for union hiring hall workers - Do I need job searches?

Yes, you will be asked about job search activities when filing bi-weekly claims. PA UC requires at least 2 work search activities per week for most claimants. HOWEVER, there are exemptions for union hiring hall members who get work exclusively through their union. When you file, you'll see a question asking if you completed your work search - you should answer YES since being registered with your union hiring hall counts as your work search activity. Just make sure you have documentation from your union stating you get jobs exclusively through them in case you're ever audited.

i was in same boat last year with ibew and yes they ask bout job search but u just say YES cuz union counts as ur search

Be careful with this!!! I'm in a laborers union and I made a mistake on my claim by saying NO to the job search question and got disqualified for two weeks! Had to call and explain and it was a HUGE headache. The system doesn't automatically know you're union - you have to answer the right way. When it asks if you searched for work, say YES because being registered with your hall IS your search activity. The questions are confusing so read them carefully before answering!!!

I can help with this! The PA UC bi-weekly claim filing has several standard questions: 1. Were you able and available for work? 2. Did you refuse any job offers or referrals? 3. Did you work during the weeks you're claiming? 4. Did you search for work? 5. Did you attend school or training? For union members who get work exclusively through hiring halls, you ARE exempt from the regular work search requirements, but you need to answer the questions correctly. When it asks if you searched for work, answer YES because being registered with your union hall counts as your ongoing work search activity. If you answer NO, the system will flag your claim for non-compliance with work search requirements. I recommend getting a letter from your union confirming you get work exclusively through them and keep it for your records. PA UC doesn't usually ask for this upfront, but they can audit claims and request documentation later.

My brother is IBEW and he said he always answers YES to the work search question AND writes in the notes section that he's registered with his union hiring hall. He's never had any problems with his claims doing it that way. The system is really weird about how they word the questions though. The other annoying one is they ask if you refused work but what they really mean is did you refuse SUITABLE work - obviously if the hall offered you a job and you turned it down that would be a problem, but if some random place offered you minimum wage work outside your trade that doesn't count as refusing suitable work.

Hey there! If you're having trouble reaching PA UC to clarify this or any other questions about your claim, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending days getting busy signals. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 I needed to talk to someone about my union situation too (pipefitters) and they were able to note in my file that I get work through my union hiring hall so I wouldn't have issues with future claims. Definitely worth it after I wasted a week trying to get through on my own.

I went through this EXACT thing in January! The other answers here are correct - you need to say YES to the work search question since being registered with your hiring hall counts. But also make sure when you file your initial claim you indicated you're a union member who gets work through a hiring hall. There should have been a question about union membership in your initial application.

When you file bi-weekly they also ask about your availability each day! Make sure you say you were available EVERY DAY (including weekends) unless you were actually unavailable for a legitimate reason. I got tripped up on this once because I had a doctor appointment and marked I wasn't available that day, and they reduced my benefit amount! Had to appeal and explain I was still available for work before and after the appointment. The system is designed to trip you up I swear!!!

One more important thing - when you file bi-weekly claims, do it early in the week (Sunday or Monday) if possible. If there are any issues with your answers that require staff review, filing early gives them more time to resolve it before payment processing runs at the end of the week. And be consistent with your answers from week to week unless your situation has actually changed.

Just wanted to add my experience as a newcomer who went through this recently! I'm in the steelworkers union and was terrified about messing up my first bi-weekly claim after reading horror stories online. The advice here is spot on - definitely answer YES to the work search question because your union registration counts as ongoing job search activity. One thing that helped me was calling my union hall before filing my first claim to make sure I understood exactly how our system works. My business agent explained that as long as I'm on the out-of-work list and available when they call with jobs, that satisfies the work search requirement. Also, keep records of when you check in with the hall or update your availability - I write down dates just in case I ever get audited. Better to be over-prepared than sorry! Good luck with your first filing, the process gets much easier once you do it a couple times.