PA UC eligibility with W2 commission job I haven't started - can I quit and still collect?

Your situation is tricky but not uncommon. Generally speaking, if you quit a job without good cause, you can be disqualified from receiving benefits. However, Pennsylvania does recognize 'necessitous and compelling reasons' for leaving employment, which can include significant changes in job conditions or compensation structure. Since you haven't actually started earning at the commission job and accepted it under different circumstances (planning to transition gradually), you may have a legitimate case. You should file for UC based on your layoff, and be completely honest about the commission position when you apply. The UC office will determine if you're eligible.

i was in kinda the same boat last yr!! commission jobs DONT count as real employment for UC if u cant earn enough to live!!! quit that thing and file based on ur layoff u should be fine jsut dont mention the commission thing at all on ur application

You ABSOLUTELY NEED to list ALL employment when filing!!! I made the mistake of not mentioning a part-time gig on my UC application and got hit with an overpayment notice for $5,460 plus penalties six months later!!! They will find out through quarterly wage reports. The system is totally broken but they don't mess around with what they consider "fraud" even if it was just a mistake!!!

Your best approach is to apply for unemployment based on your layoff, but be transparent about the commission position. When explaining why you're leaving the commission job, focus on the fact that: 1. You accepted it under different circumstances (while still employed) 2. The commission-only structure doesn't provide sustainable income in the short-term 3. You're unable to meet basic living expenses in the interim period before commissions would materialize PA UC does recognize financial hardship as a legitimate reason to leave employment in some cases. Just be prepared that a UC examiner may need to interview you about the details.

why did you even accept the commission job if you knew it wouldn't pay enough??? sounds like you're trying to game the system tbh

Been trying to get through to PA UC for 3 weeks about my own situation with taking a new job before getting laid off. Just found Claimyr and it actually worked! Got through to a PA UC rep in about 20 minutes when I'd been getting busy signals for days. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 - definitely worth checking out if you need to talk to someone at unemployment about your specific situation. Their website is claimyr.com if you want to look into it.

To answer your timeline question - complicated cases that require adjudication can take 4-6 weeks for a determination. If your case gets flagged for review (which it likely will due to the multiple employer situation), you should continue filing your weekly claims while waiting for a decision. If approved, you'll receive back payments for those weeks.

Update: I decided to be completely transparent and filed my claim yesterday. I listed both employers and explained the situation exactly as it happened. I also resigned from the commission job and explained that I couldn't financially survive without immediate income. Now I'm just waiting for a determination. Thanks everyone for the advice!

wait so did u end up quiting the commision job or what? can u update us on what happens w/ ur benefits?

Good luck with your claim! You definitely did the right thing by being completely honest about everything. I went through a similar situation last year where I had to explain a complicated employment situation to PA UC. The waiting period is nerve-wracking, but since you were legitimately laid off from your primary job due to lack of work, that's really the key factor they'll focus on. The commission job situation sounds like it falls under necessitous and compelling circumstances since you couldn't reasonably be expected to survive financially without any guaranteed income. Keep filing your weekly claims while you wait - even if there's a delay, you'll get backpay if approved. Fingers crossed you hear back soon!

I'm in a somewhat similar situation right now - got laid off last month but had already accepted a part-time retail job that barely covers my expenses. The whole multiple employer thing definitely complicates the UC application process. From what I've learned, PA really does focus on your primary job loss when determining eligibility. Since you were legitimately laid off for lack of work from your main source of income, that should work in your favor. The commission job situation sounds like it clearly falls under financial hardship since there's no guaranteed income. I think you handled it perfectly by being completely transparent. The adjudication process is slow but at least you'll know you did everything by the book. Hope you get good news soon!