PA UC partial benefits - can I claim while working 26 hours per week?

Yes, you can potentially still qualify for partial benefits! PA has something called partial benefit credit where you can earn up to 30% of your weekly benefit rate without reduction. Anything over that gets deducted dollar-for-dollar from your weekly benefit. For example if your weekly benefit rate is $400, you could earn up to $120 (30%) with no reduction. If you make $320 at your part-time job, that's $200 over your partial benefit credit, so you'd get $200 deducted from your $400 WBR, leaving you with a $200 payment. So yes, you should definitely keep filing your weekly claims and report your exact earnings each week!

im in the same boat working 25hrs at lowes. they take the amount u make before taxes and subtract it from ur benefit amount. so if ur getting $400 a week benefit and make $300 at the part time job, they give u $100 in benefits. the important thing is REPORT EVERYTHING or they will hit u with an overpayment later!!!!!

I tried this last year and it was such a NIGHTMARE. The system kept flagging my claim saying I was "potentially ineligible due to availability" because I was working! Had to wait 6 WEEKS for them to resolve it while getting ZERO money. Then when they finally fixed it, I only got like $75 a week in partial benefits. Almost wasn't worth the hassle honestly.

Working 26 hours doesn't automatically disqualify you. PA UC doesn't have a strict hour limit - it's all about how your earnings compare to your weekly benefit rate. With your significant pay decrease ($28/hr to $16/hr), you have a good case for partial benefits. First, calculate your Weekly Benefit Rate (WBR) from when you applied. Then: 1. Calculate your weekly earnings: 26 hrs × $16 = $416 2. Calculate your Partial Benefit Credit (PBC): 30% of your WBR 3. Subtract PBC from your earnings 4. Subtract that result from your WBR That final number is your partial benefit amount. As long as it's at least $5, you'll receive something. Keep filing weekly and always report your exact earnings!

I had almost the exact same situation in January! I was getting nowhere trying to figure out if I qualified until I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to actually get through to someone at UC. They got me connected to an agent in about 20 minutes after trying for days on my own. The agent explained exactly how partial benefits work with my specific claim and earnings. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 Totally worth it because the agent told me I was calculating my earnings wrong - I wasn't including the 30% partial benefit credit, which meant I was eligible for more money than I thought!

Make sure u answer the weekly questions correctly!! When it asks if u refused work say NO. When it asks if ur able and available for work say YES. When it asks did u work, say YES and report ALL earnings. Dont enter take-home pay, use GROSS pay before taxes!!

just be carful bcus they might consider u fully employed even at part time. my friend got denied for working 24 hrs a week but she was making more $ per hour than b4 she got laid off.

HAS ANYONE NOTICED THEY'RE SUPER SLOW PROCESSING PARTIAL CLAIMS?? When I was completely unemployed they paid me in 3 days. As soon as I started reporting part-time work, suddenly everything goes into "pending" status for 2-3 WEEKS! I swear they do this on purpose to discourage people from claiming partial!!

One more important thing - while receiving partial benefits, you're still required to complete your weekly work search activities (applying to jobs, attending workshops, etc). Even if you're only getting a small partial payment, you must do the work search or you could be disqualified. Many people miss this and end up with issues on their claim.

Good luck with your partial benefits claim! Just want to add that you should also keep track of your job search activities in a spreadsheet or notebook with dates, company names, and what you did (applied online, attended job fair, etc.). I learned the hard way that if they audit your work search requirements later, you need to have detailed records. Also, don't be discouraged if your first few weekly claims take longer to process - once the system recognizes your pattern of part-time work, it usually speeds up. The extra money really does help bridge the gap while you're looking for full-time work again!

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I've been reading through all your responses and I think I have a much better understanding now. Based on what you've shared, it sounds like I should definitely keep filing my weekly claims and report my exact gross earnings each week. The 30% partial benefit credit calculation that several of you mentioned is really helpful - I had no idea about that! I'm going to calculate my exact weekly benefit rate and see what I might be eligible for. Even if it's just a small amount, every bit helps right now. I'll make sure to keep doing my job search activities too since I'm still looking for full-time work. Really appreciate this community - the PA UC website definitely doesn't explain things as clearly as you all have!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been through this exact situation! I worked 28 hours/week at $15/hour while collecting partial benefits last year. The key thing that helped me was keeping detailed records of everything - my exact hours worked each week, gross pay amounts, and screenshots of my weekly certifications. One thing I learned the hard way is that if your part-time job has inconsistent hours (like some weeks 24 hours, some weeks 28), you need to report the actual hours worked for each specific week, not an average. The system calculates benefits based on your actual weekly earnings, not monthly averages. Also, don't get discouraged if your first partial payment seems small - remember you're still building up toward your maximum benefit year total, and having some income plus partial benefits is usually better than just the part-time income alone. Keep filing those weekly claims and stay consistent with reporting!

I went through something very similar when I was working 24 hours at Target while on partial benefits. One thing that really helped me was calling the PA UC customer service line first thing Monday morning around 8:05 AM - that's when I had the best luck getting through without waiting forever. The agent I spoke with explained that with your situation (significant reduction in both hours AND pay), you should definitely qualify for partial benefits. They also told me that PA doesn't have a strict hour limit like some other states - it's really all about the earnings calculation. Just make sure when you file your weekly claims that you answer "YES" to being able and available for full-time work, even though you're working part-time. This shows you're still actively seeking to return to full-time employment. And definitely keep applying to other jobs - the work search requirement doesn't go away just because you're getting partial benefits. The math can be confusing at first, but once you get into the routine of reporting your exact gross earnings each week, it becomes pretty straightforward. Good luck!

I was in a very similar situation last year - worked 25 hours at $17/hour while collecting partial benefits after being laid off from a $26/hour full-time position. You should definitely be eligible for partial benefits with that significant pay cut! A few practical tips from my experience: 1. Make sure you know your exact Weekly Benefit Rate (WBR) from your original claim 2. Always report GROSS earnings, not take-home pay 3. The 30% partial benefit credit really does make a difference - don't forget about it in your calculations 4. Keep a simple log of your exact hours and gross pay each week since part-time schedules can vary One thing that caught me off guard was that my employer sometimes scheduled me for different hours (22 one week, 28 the next), so your weekly benefit amount might fluctuate based on actual hours worked. Also, be prepared for longer processing times on partial claims - mine took about 2 weeks vs 3 days when I was fully unemployed. The extra money really helped bridge the gap while I job searched. Definitely worth filing for! Just stay consistent with your weekly certifications and keep looking for full-time work.

I'm in a really similar situation right now! I was laid off from a $25/hour full-time job and just started part-time work at 22 hours/week for $14/hour. Reading through everyone's responses has been so helpful - I had no idea about the 30% partial benefit credit calculation that several people mentioned. One thing I'm still confused about though - when you report your weekly earnings, do you include things like tips or just your base hourly wage? My new job is at a restaurant so there are some tips involved, but they're pretty minimal (maybe $20-30 per week). Also, has anyone had issues with their employer not understanding the partial benefits situation? My manager seemed confused when I mentioned I might still be collecting unemployment. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences - this community is way more helpful than the official PA UC website!

I'm working 30 hours/week at $18/hour after being laid off from a $24/hour full-time position, and I've been successfully collecting partial benefits for about 3 months now. Your situation with 26 hours at $16/hour (down from $28/hour full-time) should definitely qualify! A few things that helped me navigate the system: 1. **Download the PA UC mobile app** - it's actually easier to file weekly claims on the app than the website, and you can check your payment status quickly 2. **Set up direct deposit if you haven't already** - partial benefit payments can be small amounts ($50-150 typically), and getting a paper check in the mail delays everything by several days 3. **Consider this temporary** - I've been using the partial benefits as a bridge while actively job searching for full-time work. The extra $80-120/week I get in partial benefits has been crucial for covering my car payment and groceries 4. **Track your benefit year balance** - remember you have a maximum amount you can collect over your benefit year, so partial benefits do count toward that total The hardest part for me was the first few weeks when I wasn't sure if I was calculating everything correctly, but once you get into the routine it's pretty straightforward. Just be patient with the processing times and keep detailed records of everything you report. You've got this!

I just wanted to add something that really helped me when I was in a similar situation - make sure you understand how your work schedule affects your "able and available" status. I was working irregular shifts (sometimes mornings, sometimes evenings) at my part-time job, and initially I was worried this might affect my eligibility. What I learned from talking to a UC representative is that as long as you're genuinely seeking and available for full-time work, having a part-time schedule doesn't disqualify you. The key is being able to demonstrate that you would leave or adjust your part-time job if you found suitable full-time employment. Also, keep in mind that with your significant wage reduction (from $28/hour to $16/hour), you have a strong case for partial benefits even at 26 hours per week. That's nearly a 43% pay cut per hour! Don't let anyone discourage you from filing just because you're working "too many" hours - PA really does focus more on earnings than hours worked. One last tip: if you're job searching online, make sure to keep screenshots or email confirmations of applications you submit. The work search requirements are still in effect even while receiving partial benefits, and having that documentation ready makes the weekly certifications much easier to complete accurately.

I'm also dealing with a similar situation - working part-time while trying to figure out partial benefits! I was laid off from my $30/hour manufacturing job and just started at a retail position doing 24 hours/week at $15/hour. Reading through all these responses has been so educational - I had no clue about the 30% partial benefit credit calculation that keeps getting mentioned. One question I have after reading everything - does anyone know if seasonal work affects partial benefits differently? My new job mentioned they might have reduced hours during slower months, and I'm wondering if that would actually help or hurt my partial benefit amounts. Also, I've been seeing conflicting info about whether you can collect partial benefits if you're working through a temp agency vs being a direct employee. Anyone have experience with that? The advice about keeping detailed records and using the mobile app is really helpful. I'm definitely going to start tracking everything in a spreadsheet like some of you suggested. It's reassuring to know that so many people have successfully navigated this system!

I was in almost the exact same situation a few months ago! Working 28 hours at $15/hour after being laid off from a $26/hour full-time job. You should definitely be eligible for partial benefits with that significant reduction in both hours and pay. Here's what I wish someone had told me when I started: Don't overthink the calculations at first - just file your weekly claims consistently and report your exact gross earnings (including any overtime, tips, etc.). The system will do the math for you using the 30% partial benefit credit that others have mentioned. The most important things are: - Always report your GROSS pay before taxes - Keep filing every week even if processing seems slow - Continue your job search activities (they're still required) - Save screenshots of your weekly certifications for your records With your $12/hour pay cut, you should get a decent partial benefit amount each week. It really does help bridge the gap while you're looking for full-time work again. The first few weeks might feel confusing, but once you get into the routine it becomes much easier. Stick with it - you've earned these benefits!