PA UC claim shows monetarily ineligible despite working in Philly while living in NJ - what's next?

same thing happened to me but opposite direction (live in PA work in NJ). u probably need to file in your residence state not work state. each state has diff rules for this idk why its so complicated

This is a common interstate issue. When you commute across state lines, you typically need to file in your STATE OF RESIDENCE (NJ), not your work state. This is because of something called the Interstate Agreement. Your wages from PA will be transferred to NJ through what's called a combined wage claim process. You should withdraw your PA claim and file in NJ immediately. Make sure to indicate on your NJ application that you worked in PA so they know to request your wage information.

I'm dealing with the EXACT same situation right now and it's a nightmare. Filed in PA because I work in Philly but live in Camden. Got denied for being "monetarily ineligible" then filed in NJ. Now NJ is taking FOREVER to process and keeps saying they're waiting on my wage info from PA. Been 6 weeks with no income and can't reach anyone on the phone at either state!!!! The system is BROKEN!!!!!

If you're having trouble reaching NJ unemployment by phone to sort this out, I'd recommend trying Claimyr. It helped me get through to an actual person at PA UC after weeks of busy signals. They have a system that holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is available. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. It was truly a lifesaver for me when I had a similar interstate issue.

This is actually more complicated than people are making it sound. The general rule is you file in your state of residence IF you performed some work there. But if you ONLY worked in PA and never worked in NJ, you may actually need to file an interstate claim THROUGH NJ but FOR PA benefits. You don't want to withdraw your PA claim until you're certain where you should file. I'd recommend calling NJ unemployment first to confirm how to proceed in your specific situation.

To clarify, if you've ONLY worked in PA (no work in NJ), then you should file an interstate claim with NJ (as your resident state), but you'll actually be claiming against your PA wages. This is why it's showing monetarily ineligible in PA - because as an out-of-state resident with no NJ wages, you need to go through the interstate process. NJ will serve as the "agent state" while PA will be the "liable state" (where your wages are). Contact NJ unemployment and specifically mention you need to file an interstate claim against your PA wages.

Just wanted to say good luck! I went through this whole mess last year (but NY/PA instead of NJ/PA) and it took about 8 weeks to sort out. Eventually got my money though! Hang in there!

My cousin works for unemployment in NJ and she told me they're way behind on processing interstate claims because their computer system is from like 1995 or something ridiculous. Just FYI - make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even while waiting for the monetary eligibility to get sorted out. That way when they finally approve you, you'll get all the back weeks paid.

Just a follow-up question - when you say your hours were cut "drastically," how many hours are you still working? For partial unemployment, most states require your hours to be reduced by at least 20%, and your current weekly earnings need to be less than your weekly benefit amount. Make sure you're actually eligible for partial before going through this whole interstate process.

With that significant reduction in hours, you should definitely qualify for partial benefits. Just to summarize what you need to do: 1. Contact NJ unemployment to file an interstate claim against your PA wages 2. Specifically mention you're a NJ resident who only worked in PA 3. Be prepared to provide all your PA employment information 4. Once your claim is accepted, file weekly claims with NJ 5. Be patient as interstate claims take longer (potentially 6-8 weeks) And keep detailed records of all your communications with both states' unemployment offices.

I went through this exact same situation about a year ago (NJ resident working in PA) and want to add a few things that might help. When you call NJ unemployment, ask to speak to someone specifically about "interstate claims" - the regular customer service reps sometimes don't know the process well. Also, if you have pay stubs from your PA job, have them ready when you call - they'll need your employer's information and your quarterly wage amounts. One more tip: NJ will send you a form called an "Interstate Benefits Claim" that you'll need to fill out completely. Don't leave anything blank or they'll send it back and delay your claim even more. The whole process is frustrating but you WILL get your benefits eventually. Stay persistent!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now - live in Delaware but work in PA. Got the same "monetarily ineligible" message when I filed with PA. After reading through all these comments, it sounds like I need to file with Delaware instead and do the interstate claim process. This is so confusing - why don't they make this clearer on their websites? It would save everyone so much stress and wasted time. @Javier Torres hope you get this sorted out soon, and thanks to everyone who explained the interstate process - super helpful!

I just went through this exact scenario last month - NJ resident working in PA, got the "monetarily ineligible" message, the whole nine yards. Here's what worked for me: Call NJ unemployment at 8am sharp when they open (732-761-2020) and immediately ask for the "Interstate Claims Unit" - don't let them transfer you around to regular customer service. Have your PA employer's FEIN number ready along with your last 4 pay stubs. The specialist I spoke with was super helpful and explained that since I live in NJ but only worked in PA, I needed to file what's called a "combined wage claim" where NJ acts as the agent state and requests my wage records from PA. It took about 5 weeks total but I got approved and received back pay for all the weeks I certified. One important thing - keep certifying weekly in NJ even while they're processing your interstate claim, otherwise you'll lose those weeks. The system is definitely confusing but once you get the right person on the phone, it's much smoother. Hang in there!

I'm going through something very similar right now - live in NJ, work in PA, got hit with reduced hours and filed with PA only to get that dreaded "monetarily ineligible" status. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea about the interstate claim process or that I should be filing with my residence state instead. @Ryan Young your step-by-step advice is gold - I'm definitely calling NJ at 8am sharp tomorrow with that number and asking specifically for the Interstate Claims Unit. It's frustrating that this isn't explained clearly anywhere on the official sites, but at least this community has real people sharing real experiences. @Javier Torres hope you get this sorted out quickly! Going to bookmark this thread because it's the most helpful info I've found anywhere about cross-state unemployment issues.

I'm dealing with this EXACT same situation right now and it's been such a nightmare! Live in NJ but work in Philadelphia, got my hours cut from full-time to part-time, filed with PA and got that confusing "monetarily ineligible" status even though I know I've earned way more than enough to qualify. Reading through all these responses has been such a huge help - I had no idea about the interstate claims process or that NJ residents should file with NJ even when working in PA. @Ryan Young thank you so much for that specific phone number and the 8am tip - I've been trying to get through to someone for weeks with no luck. Going to call NJ unemployment tomorrow morning and ask specifically for the Interstate Claims Unit. It's really frustrating that this interstate situation isn't explained clearly anywhere on the official websites, but this community thread has been more informative than anything I've found elsewhere. @Javier Torres hoping you get this resolved quickly - will update here if I learn anything helpful during my call!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation - live in South Jersey and commute to Center City Philadelphia for work. My employer just reduced everyone's hours by 60% and I was completely lost about where to file for unemployment. Like others here, I initially tried filing with PA since that's where I work, but now I understand why that might not be the right approach. @Ryan Young your detailed breakdown about calling NJ at 8am and asking specifically for the Interstate Claims Unit is exactly what I needed to hear. I'm going to gather all my PA pay stubs and employer info tonight and make that call first thing tomorrow morning. It's really reassuring to see that multiple people have successfully navigated this process, even though it takes several weeks. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community has provided better guidance than any official government resource I've found!