PA UC partial benefits question - no pay for working one day in a week?
So confused about the PA unemployment partial benefit rules. If I work just ONE day during my claim week (like 8 hours total), do I really get zero benefits for the entire week? My boss offered me a Friday shift next week but I'm worried I'll lose all my UC money for that week even though I'd still be unemployed Mon-Thurs. The extra work day would only pay about $97 before taxes but my weekly benefit is $425. Doesn't make sense to work and end up with less! Anyone dealt with this or know how partial benefits actually work in PA? I've tried calling but can't get through.
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Hazel Garcia
That's not how partial benefits work in PA. You can work part-time and still receive partial UC benefits. Here's what happens: You report your gross earnings (before taxes) for the week. PA UC will deduct 30% of your weekly benefit amount from your earnings, and then subtract the remaining earnings from your weekly benefit. For example: If your WBA is $425, the 30% deduction is $127.50. So if you earn $97, subtract $97 from $127.50, which means ALL your earnings are deducted. You would still get your full $425 benefit. If you earned $200, then $200-$127.50 = $72.50 would be deducted from your benefit, so you'd get $425-$72.50 = $352.50 plus your work earnings. Definitely take that shift - you won't lose money.
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Salim Nasir
•OMG thank you!! I've been so stressed about this. So basically I can earn up to $127 without ANY reduction to my benefits? That's a huge relief. My friend kept telling me you lose everything if you work even a little bit, but I guess she was wrong. I'm definitely taking that shift now!
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Laila Fury
ur friend is confusing PA with nj maybe? nj system is different i think. my brother lives there and its stricter
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Geoff Richards
•Actually New Jersey has a similar partial benefit calculation. I think the confusion comes from people who work enough to exceed their benefit rate and then get nothing that week. But PA's 30% deduction is actually pretty generous compared to some states!
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Simon White
NOPE! PA UC system PENALIZES you for working!!! I worked TWO days last month (covered a coworker's shift) and my benefit was cut by more than what I earned!! The system is DESIGNED to trap you in full unemployment. Don't trust the calculators online either - they never match what PA UC actually does.
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Hugo Kass
•This information is incorrect. Pennsylvania has a 30% earnings deduction provision specifically designed to encourage part-time work. If your benefits were reduced by more than you earned, there could have been another issue with your claim that week, or perhaps you misunderstood how the calculation was applied. The formula is clearly defined on the PA UC website and by law.
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Nasira Ibanez
Has anyone used Claimyr to actually reach someone at PA UC to explain these partial benefit rules? I've been trying for weeks to talk to a person about how my partial benefits are calculated. I found this service at claimyr.com that gets you through to an unemployment agent. There's even a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. Honestly after spending hours with busy signals I'm considering trying it out. Just wondering if anyone here has used it successfully?
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Khalil Urso
•yea i used it last month when my claim was stuck for like 3 weeks. got thru to someone in like 10 min? they fixed my issue right away. better than spendng all day calling them
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Laila Fury
take the shift u get more money that way not less
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Salim Nasir
Just wanted to update everyone - I took the shift, worked those 8 hours and reported my earnings ($97). My benefit didn't get reduced at all! Just like @helpfulTom explained, because my earnings were under that 30% threshold, I got my full UC payment plus my work pay. So definitely a win-win. Thanks everyone for your help!
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Hazel Garcia
•Glad it worked out! This is why the partial benefit rules exist - to encourage people to take available work without being financially punished. Just remember to always report your gross earnings (before taxes) for any week you work, even if it's just a few hours.
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Emma Davis
Great to hear this worked out for you! Your experience is a perfect example of how the PA partial benefits system is supposed to work. For anyone else reading this thread, the key takeaway is that Pennsylvania's 30% earnings deduction (which was $127.50 in your case with a $425 WBA) acts as a buffer to protect your benefits when you work part-time. As long as your weekly earnings stay below that threshold, you keep your full UC payment AND your work income. It's actually a really worker-friendly policy compared to some other states that have much stricter rules about working while on unemployment.
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Javier Gomez
•This is such a helpful breakdown! I wish PA UC explained it this clearly on their website. I've been on unemployment for 2 months and had no idea about the 30% buffer rule. I've been turning down small gig work because I thought any earnings would mess up my benefits. Now I know I can actually make up to my threshold amount without losing anything. Thanks for explaining it so well!
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