PA UC weekly claim confusion - reporting unknown earnings from new job?

congrats on the new job! you still need to file ur claims each week but when it asks about earnings just report what u actually worked. so like if u worked monday-friday but dont get paid till later, still report those hours/earnings for that specific week. dont wait till u get paid to report it

Thank you, but that's exactly what I'm confused about! I don't know what I'll be earning per hour yet. They said 'competitive pay' but never gave me an exact number during the interview process. So I literally don't know what to put in the earnings field.

You need to report your earnings for the week you actually performed the work, not when you receive payment. PA UC requires you to report gross earnings (before taxes/deductions). If you truly don't know your hourly rate yet, call your employer immediately and ask - you need this information. If you absolutely cannot get the rate, make a reasonable estimate based on similar positions and keep documentation of your attempt to get accurate information. When you receive your first paycheck, if your estimate was wrong, contact UC to correct your previous certifications.

This is really helpful, thank you! I'll call the HR department tomorrow. I didn't realize I should report based on when I worked, not when I'm paid. Makes sense now.

Ugh i had this EXACT same problem last year and ended up with a $2400 overpayment notice because I didn't report correctly!!!!! Don't make my mistake! If you can't get your hourly rate from your employer (which is weird btw, they should tell you that), then estimate on the high side so you don't get overpaid benefits. UC system is BRUTAL about overpayments and they'll garnish future benefits if you ever need to file again.

thats why I always tell ppl to call the UC service center to explain special situations but good luck getting through lol

$2400 overpayment?! That's insane. Did you appeal it?

So I went through this exact situation when I started my new job back in January. After days of trying to reach someone at the PA UC service center with no success (constant busy signals), I found Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to a UC rep in about 40 minutes instead of spending days redialing. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2\n\nThe UC rep told me to estimate my earnings as accurately as possible for the weeks I work but don't yet know my exact pay. Then, when I received my first paycheck, I should call back to make any corrections if my estimate was significantly off. Worked perfectly and avoided any overpayment issues.

Thanks for the suggestion! I'm going to try calling the employer first but if they're vague about the pay I might need to talk directly to UC. I've been trying to get through for days about a different question too.

Am I the only one who thinks it's really weird they didn't tell you how much you'd be making before you accepted the job??? That seems like a red flag tbh

Yeah it's definitely weird. The manager said something about the rate depending on the shift placement and whether I'd be taking the assistant manager track, but that they'd

i get being desperate after 5 months but please don't let them take advantage of you! you have rights!!

Important technical note: PA UC regulations require you to report any work and earnings during the week when the work is performed, regardless of when you receive payment. Make sure you continue to file weekly claims until you receive your first full paycheck. PA UC uses a partial benefit credit formula where you can earn up to 30% of your weekly benefit amount without reduction, then benefits decrease dollar-for-dollar after that threshold. Keep documentation of your attempts to accurately report earnings in case there are any discrepancies later. If your benefit year is still active, you can resume benefits if this job doesn't work out without filing a new application.

Thank you for the detailed explanation. I didn't know about the 30% partial benefit credit - that's really helpful. My weekly benefit amount is $580 so I guess I can earn up to $174 without reduction? I'll definitely keep documenting everything.

also when u do get ur first paycheck make sure to check the pay period dates on the stub!! those tell u exactly which weeks the pay covers so u can match it to ur claims

Good idea! I'll double check that to make sure everything lines up correctly.

wait do we have to report the gross amount or the amount after taxes?? i've been reporting net amount this whole time omg

You need to report GROSS earnings (before taxes and deductions). If you've been reporting net earnings (after taxes), you should contact the UC office immediately to correct your previous certifications as you've been underreporting your income.

i'm still mad about my overpayment from last year. they make these forms so confusing and then punish US when we make honest mistakes!!! the whole system is designed to trip people up i swear

UPDATE: I called the employer and finally got my hourly rate - $18.50/hr plus potential commission depending on department placement. Thanks everyone for the advice! I'm going to continue filing my weekly claims and report my hours worked × hourly rate for each week, even before I receive an actual paycheck. I really appreciate all the help!

Great job resolving this! And congratulations again on the new position. Remember to keep track of your hours carefully these first few weeks. When you receive your first paycheck, take a moment to verify everything matches up with what you reported to UC. Best of luck with the new job!