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!

I just went through this exact same situation a few months ago! I was living in Maryland but working primarily in PA with some work in Delaware. Here's what I wish I had known from the start: File in PA since that's where you worked the majority of your hours (50% is definitely the majority). When you complete the PA application, there's a specific section where you'll list ALL your employers from the past 18 months, including the ones in WV and OH. PA will automatically request wage information from those states - you don't need to do anything extra. One heads up: they may ask you to provide a "work location verification" letter from your employer stating where you physically performed your work duties. My HR department was able to provide this pretty easily, but it's good to know in advance in case PA requests it. Also, don't stress too much about the exact percentages of where you worked. As long as PA was clearly the primary location (which 50% definitely qualifies), you're filing in the right place. The interstate wage combining process is pretty streamlined once you get the initial claim started. Good luck with everything - interstate claims take a bit longer but the extra wages from all three states usually result in higher benefits!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now - living in one state but working primarily in PA with some work in other states too. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! One thing I wanted to add that I learned from my research: if you're still unsure about which state to file in, you can actually call the Interstate Benefits Unit directly. PA has a specific department that handles these multi-state situations, and they can give you guidance before you file. The number is different from the regular UC line and supposedly has shorter wait times. Also, for anyone else reading this thread who might be in a similar boat - make sure you understand your "base period" before filing. The base period is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. So if you're filing now in March 2025, your base period would be October 2023 through September 2024. All the wages you earned in ALL states during that specific timeframe will be considered. The multi-state employment rules can definitely seem overwhelming at first, but once you understand the basic principle (file where you worked most), it becomes much clearer. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's really helping those of us navigating this process!

This thread has been incredibly helpful for understanding multi-state unemployment situations! I'm currently in a similar position - working remotely for a Pennsylvania company while living in Ohio, with occasional travel to their offices in different states. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is how remote work specifically affects these determinations. Since COVID, a lot more people are working remotely across state lines, and the rules can be a bit different than traditional multi-state employment. For remote workers, the general rule is that unemployment taxes are paid to the state where you physically perform the work (usually your home state), even if your employer is based elsewhere. However, some companies still pay unemployment taxes to their home state regardless of where remote employees live. I'd recommend checking with your HR department or payroll to confirm which state your employer was paying unemployment taxes to - that information should be on your pay stubs or W-2. Also, for anyone still struggling to get through to PA UC, I've found that calling right at 8:00 AM when they open tends to have the best success rate. The lines get jammed pretty quickly after that. Tuesday through Thursday seem to be the least busy days in my experience. Thanks again to everyone who shared their experiences - it really helps to hear from people who've actually been through this process!

I'm going through something very similar right now! I live in Ohio but work for a company based in Pennsylvania, with some travel to West Virginia for client meetings. This thread has been a goldmine of information. One thing I wanted to add that helped me understand my situation better: I called my company's payroll department and asked them to clarify which state they've been paying unemployment insurance taxes to for my position. It turned out they were paying to PA even though I work remotely from Ohio, because that's where their payroll is processed. This made it clear that I should file in PA. For anyone else reading this, I'd definitely recommend making that call to your payroll/HR department before filing. They can usually tell you right away which state your unemployment taxes were paid to, and having that information makes the decision much clearer. Some companies pay to the employee's home state, others pay to their own state - it really varies by company policy. Also, I've been keeping a detailed log of all my work locations and hours over the past year, just in case PA asks for verification. It sounds like overkill, but after reading about some of the documentation requests people have mentioned here, I'd rather be over-prepared than caught off guard!

This has been such a comprehensive discussion! As someone who recently navigated a similar multi-state situation, I wanted to add a few practical tips that might help others: 1. **Document everything from day one** - I created a simple spreadsheet tracking all my communications with unemployment offices, including dates, times, reference numbers, and what was discussed. This was invaluable when I had to follow up later. 2. **Be prepared for the "monetary determination" to take longer** - Interstate claims require wage verification from multiple states, so your monetary determination (the document showing your benefit amount) can take 2-4 weeks longer than usual. Don't panic if it seems delayed! 3. **Check your state's reciprocity agreements** - Some states have special agreements that can streamline the process. PA has agreements with several neighboring states that can make wage verification faster. 4. **Save copies of EVERYTHING** - Your application, any correspondence, wage records from all states. I learned this the hard way when PA asked me to resubmit something I thought they already had. The interstate claims process is definitely more complex than single-state claims, but the good news is that once it's set up correctly, the weekly certification process is the same as any other claim. Hang in there - it's worth the extra effort to make sure you get all the benefits you're entitled to!