PA UC for partial disability? Need advice after surgeries causing reduced hours

I know exactly what you're dealing with! I had to navigate the whole partial unemployment thing last year after a back injury. Yes, PA does offer partial UC benefits when your hours are reduced for medical reasons. You need to still be working at least 20% less than your normal hours. The catch is that your employer needs to agree to the reduced schedule AND certify that they don't have alternative work that fits your restrictions. Have you tried asking your doctor for formal work restrictions? That's what made the difference for me. Then I could apply for partial UC to supplement my reduced income. Try checking out Claimyr.com if you need help reaching PA UC to ask specific questions - they got me through to an actual person when I needed clarification. They have a good video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2

Have u tried talking to HR about ADA accommodations???Might b better than UC since they HAVE TO give reasonable accommodation for health stuff. My cousin got reduced hours as ADA thing and kept full benefits.

Listen, I've been through the PA UC system FOUR TIMES and it's a nightmare even for regular claims. Partial disability claims are even worse! They take FOREVER to process and half the time they deny you for stupid reasons like missing one little checkbox. And those jerks never answer the phones!!! I wouldn't count on getting any money for MONTHS even if you do qualify. Your employer will probably fire you before you ever see a dime. The whole system is rigged against workers!!!

my brother had similar situation last year & what he did was get his doctor to write very specific work restrictions then got lawyer to write letter to HR about ADA accommodation request. company gave him 30hr week with same benefits. still doing it now 8 months later

To directly answer your question about partial UC: You may qualify if your hours are reduced by at least 20% due to lack of work. However, there's an important distinction here - the reduction must be employer-initiated due to lack of work, not employee-requested due to medical restrictions. For your situation, I recommend this approach: 1. Submit a formal ADA accommodation request with your doctor's restrictions 2. Document the interactive process with your employer 3. If they cannot accommodate and reduce your hours, THEN apply for partial UC 4. In your UC application, clearly indicate the reduction was employer-initiated after they determined they couldn't accommodate your medical restrictions One potential complication: if your employer claims they have work within your restrictions but you decline it, you could be denied UC benefits for refusing suitable work. That's why documenting the ADA process thoroughly is essential.

have u filed for social security disability? sounds like u might qualify if ur permanently unable to do ur normal job hours

Update: I spoke with my HR department today and showed them my surgeon's restrictions. They agreed to a 30-hour week trial period for the next month! They're calling it an ADA accommodation like many of you suggested. They said we'll reevaluate after 4 weeks. There will be some reduction in pay obviously, but it's better than losing my job entirely. They weren't aware of the partial UC option, so I might still look into that to supplement the lost income. Thanks everyone for your advice!

Good news!!! My frend says make sure u get the ADA thing in WRITING tho. Some companys try to go back on stuff if its just verbal promise.

Congratulations on getting the accommodation approved! That's a huge win. Just wanted to add a few things based on my experience with both ADA accommodations and partial UC in PA: 1. When you apply for partial UC, you'll need to report your reduced earnings each week. The good news is that PA has a "partial benefit credit" - you can earn up to 30% of your weekly benefit amount without any reduction to your UC payment. 2. Keep detailed records of your accommodation - not just the HR letter, but also any communications about how it's working out. This will be crucial if you need to extend or modify the accommodation later. 3. If your employer decides the accommodation isn't working after the trial period, having that documentation will also help if you need to apply for full UC benefits. The fact that your HR was cooperative is really encouraging. Many companies are more willing to work with employees than people realize, especially when you come with proper medical documentation. Hope the reduced schedule gives you the relief you need to heal properly!