PA UC claim confusion - Do I include union wages if I didn't work directly for the union?

same thing happened to me last year when i got laid off from eastridge! the union thing is confusing. i just put all my w2s in the system and it worked out fine

Yes, you should include ALL wages from ALL W2s you received during the base year period. The PA UC system calculates your benefit amount based on your highest quarter of earnings, regardless of the source. The union W2 is part of your total earnings and is required for an accurate benefit calculation. Don't worry about explaining - the system knows that many workers have multiple income sources including union-related payments.

I remember going thru this!!! It's confusing as HELL! The PA UC system basically wants to know EVERY penny you earned that could possibly count toward your benefits. They don't explain it well AT ALL but here's what i learned: if you got a W2 from the union that shows actual INCOME (not just dues being taken out), then YES, you HAVE to report it. If it's just a statement showing what you paid IN to the union, that's different. Check box 1 on the W2 from the union - if it shows wages, include it!

The key question is whether the union W2 represents actual wages earned for work performed. Some unions pay members for certain activities like training sessions, committee work, or temporary union assignments. If you performed any such services and received payment (reflected on a W2), those are reportable wages for unemployment purposes and must be included to avoid an overpayment determination later. The UC system cross-references all W2s filed under your SSN with employers.

I spent 3 WEEKS trying to get through to PA UC about this exact issue with my Teamsters W2 last year! Kept getting busy signals and disconnects. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. The agent confirmed I needed to include ALL W2 wages, even from union-related work. She explained that sometimes unions pay members for training or other activities, and those ARE considered wages for UC purposes.

When I filed my PA UC claim last month, I was in a similar situation with the Electrical Workers. Here's what I learned after finally getting through to someone: 1. Any W2 with wages in Box 1 counts as income for UC purposes 2. The system automatically cross-checks all W2s filed under your SSN 3. If you omit a W2, it can flag your account for investigation (delaying payments) 4. Union dues paid FROM your regular paycheck are not relevant here 5. It doesn't matter if you worked directly for the union or not - if they paid you and issued a W2, it's reportable income Hope this helps!

my cousin works for the uc office and she says they dont care about small amounts on w2s. if its under like $2000 its not worth mentioning cuz it wont change ur benefit amount anyway

wait can i ask - did u get a seperate w2 from the union itself? or is it just union dues listed on ur regular w2? those r totally different things

Update: I just checked with a friend who works at the PA CareerLink office. She confirmed that you absolutely must include all W2 wages when filing for UC, including those from a union. The system will flag your claim if there's a mismatch between what you report and what's on file with the tax authorities. Better to be upfront than have to deal with an overpayment notice later!

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this exact situation! I was with the Carpenters Union and got laid off from my construction job. Like you, I had a separate W2 from the union for some safety training they paid me for. I initially hesitated to include it because it seemed confusing, but after reading through all the responses here, I'm glad I did. The PA UC system really does cross-check everything, and it's way better to over-report than under-report. One tip: when you're entering the union wages, make sure you select the correct employer type in the dropdown menu. There should be an option for "labor union" or similar. This helps the system categorize it correctly and avoids any confusion during processing. Good luck with your claim! The whole process is stressful enough without having to worry about whether you filled something out wrong.