Working in PA but living in WV - Where do I file for PA UC benefits?

You should file in the state where you physically worked the most. If most of your work was performed in PA, then file with PA unemployment. If your work was fairly evenly split between states, file where you live (WV). This is because unemployment insurance taxes are paid to the state where the work is performed, not necessarily where the employer is headquartered.

i had this same issue last year. i live in ohio but worked in PA. ended up filing in PA because thats where my employer paid the unemployment taxes. the first state rejected me anyway and told me to apply in PA

This is called a multi-state or interstate claim situation. Here's what you need to know: 1. You should file in Pennsylvania if that's where you performed the majority of your work, regardless of where you live or where your employer is headquartered. 2. When you file with PA, you'll need to report ALL your work in all states during the base year. 3. PA will then determine if you qualify for a PA claim. If not, they may suggest filing in another state. 4. If you qualify in multiple states, file in the one that offers the best benefit amount (usually PA has better benefits than WV). The process is called a "combined wage claim" and is designed specifically for workers who cross state lines. Hope this helps!

Just file in both states!!! Thats what my cousin did and he got benefits from PA AND WV lol

I had a nightmare trying to reach PA UC when I had a similar situation last year. After spending literally WEEKS trying to get through on the phone, I found this service called Claimyr that actually got me through to a PA UC rep in about 20 minutes. It's the only thing that worked after countless busy signals and disconnects. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 Definitely worth checking out their website (claimyr.com) if you need to talk to someone at PA UC about your multi-state situation. Interstate claims can get messed up if filed incorrectly, so you'll want to speak directly with PA UC to make sure it's done right.

UPDATE: Thanks everyone for the advice! I decided to file with PA since that's where I worked the most hours. The application asked for my employment history from all states, so I included everything. I also managed to speak with someone at PA UC (finally!) who confirmed I'm doing the right thing. They said they'll look at all my wages from all three states when calculating my benefit amount. They did mention that if I had filed in WV first, they probably would have directed me to PA anyway since that's where most of my work was performed. So for anyone else in a similar situation - file where you physically worked the most!

Just to add some additional context that might help others with multi-state employment: 1. The technical term is "liable state" - this is the state where your employer paid unemployment taxes for you. 2. PA follows the "localization of work" doctrine to determine where taxes should be paid: - Where you physically work (majority of time) - If that's unclear, where your base of operations is - If that's unclear, where direction/control comes from - If still unclear, where you live 3. For remote workers, rules can be different - generally taxes go to the state where you physically perform the work, regardless of where the company is located. 4. Your benefit rate will be calculated based on the rules of the state where you file, using wages from all states where you worked during the base year.

My brothers friend works for the unemployment office and he says their all so backed up with claims theyre just approving everything without checking too much lol so you could probly get away with filing in both states but i wouldnt recommend it

As someone who's been through a similar multi-state situation, I wanted to share my experience to help others. I worked in PA and NJ while living in DE, and like you, I was completely confused about where to file. Here's what I learned through trial and error: 1. The key factor is where you physically performed the majority of your work hours - not where your employer is headquartered or where you live. 2. When you file in PA (which sounds right for your situation), make sure you have documentation ready for ALL your employment in all three states during your base period. This includes pay stubs, W-2s, and any 1099s. 3. PA will coordinate with WV and OH automatically through the interstate claims process - you don't need to contact those states separately. 4. One thing that caught me off guard: the processing time can be longer for interstate claims because they have to verify wages with multiple states. In my case, it took about 3 weeks longer than a typical claim. 5. Your benefit amount will be calculated using PA's benefit formula but will include wages from all three states, which actually worked out better for me than filing in just one state. The good news is once PA accepts your claim, they handle all the coordination behind the scenes. Just be patient with the process and keep detailed records of everything!