Refusals Of Employment And Changes In Employment
An employees failure to look for suitable employment or his failure to accept an offer of suitable employment can provide a basis for the termination of the employees unemployment compensation benefits. See 43 P.S. § 802. Likewise, an employees failure to accept an offer of suitable full-time employment in order to pursue seasonal or part-time employment renders an employee ineligible for benefits. See 43 P.S. § 802.
The question is: what employment is suitable. Two of the key considerations for determining suitability are the amount of the employees previous earnings and the length of time she has been unemployed. Thus, a minimum-wage job in the fast food industry might be suitable employment for a laid-off retail clerk even if it involves a small pay cut, though probably not suitable employment for a mid-level corporate manager who previously drew a five-figure salary. However, the longer the mid-level manager is without suitable work, the lower the threshold for determining what work would be suitable.
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Unemployment Insurance Relief During Covid
Notice
The CARES Act gives states the option of extending unemployment compensation to independent contractors and other workers who are ordinarily ineligible for unemployment benefits. Please contact your states unemployment insurance office at the website or phone number provided below to learn more about the availability of these benefits where you live.
One Of My Workers Quit Because He Said He Would Prefer To Receive The Unemployment Compensation Benefits Under The Cares Act Is He Eligible For Unemployment If Not What Can I Do
No, typically that employee would not be eligible for regular unemployment compensation or PUA. Eligibility for regular unemployment compensation varies by state but generally does not include those who voluntarily leave employment. Similarly, to receive PUA, an individual must be ineligible for regular unemployment compensation or extended benefits under state or federal law, or pandemic emergency unemployment compensation, and satisfy one of the eligibility criteria enumerated in the CARES Act, as explained in Unemployment Insurance Program Letter 16-20. There are multiple qualifying circumstances related to COVID-19 that can make an individual eligible for PUA, including if the individual quits his or her job as a direct result of COVID-19. Quitting to access unemployment benefits is not one of them. Individuals who quit their jobs to access higher benefits, and are untruthful in their UI application about their reason for quitting, will be considered to have committed fraud.
If desired, employers can contest unemployment insurance claims through their state unemployment insurance agencys process.
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I Am An Independent Contractor Am I Eligible For Unemployment Benefits Under The Cares Act
You may be eligible for unemployment benefits, depending on your personal circumstances and how your state chooses to implement the CARES Act. States are permitted to provide Pandemic Unemployment Assistance to individuals who are self-employed, seeking part-time employment, or who otherwise would not qualify for regular unemployment compensation. To qualify for PUA benefits, you must not be eligible for regular unemployment benefits and be unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work because of certain health or economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The PUA program provides up to 39 weeks of benefits, which are available retroactively starting with weeks of unemployment beginning on or after January 27, 2020, and ending on or before December 31, 2020. The amount of benefits paid out will vary by state and are calculated based on the weekly benefit amounts provided under a states unemployment insurance laws. Under the CARES Act, the WBA may be supplemented by the additional unemployment assistance provided under the Act.
Reopen An Existing Claim
If you fall into one of the categories listed below, you should reopen your existing claim.
Reopen claimss can be filed using the same methods listed above for filing an initial application for UC benefits.
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File A Weekly Certification
After you have filed your initial application for UC benefits or reopened an existing claim, you must file a certification for each week in which you are totally or partially unemployed.
A week for UC purposes begins on a Sunday and ends on a Saturday. The compensable week ending date is always a Saturday.
In most cases, you will file claims for weekly or every two weeks at one time. You will get paid according to when you file.
Filing can be done using the following methods:
If you are eligible for benefits, you should receive your first benefit payment within four weeks after the effective date of your application, provided you file your certifications on time.
When Cant A Claimant File For Partial Unemployment Benefits
In some cases, workers arenât eligible to receive unemployment benefits. For example, if a claimant has voluntarily reduced their work hours from full time to part time, they wonât be eligible for benefits. A claimant must have their hours involuntarily reduced to be eligible for benefits. Claimants who have reduced their hours in this fashion for whatever reason should seek legal counsel to see whether this will impact their benefits. A qualified workplace attorney can usually tell a claimant immediately how their benefits will or wonât be impacted.
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Pennsylvania Unemployment Insurance For Employees Working Short
INTRODUCTION
In the wake of legislation adopted to provide economic security to individuals impacted by COVID-19, many union workers have seen their work eliminated or diminished. For workers who are laid off or furloughed, Unemployment Insurance is a benefit to which they may be entitled if other State Unemployment Insurance eligibility requirements are met. Some workers have not been laid off in the wake of the pandemic instead, they have seen their hours of work and, as a result, their wages, reduced. While a reduction in hours is arguably better than a total layoff, workers in this situation often have a more difficult time determining whether they are eligible for Unemployment Insurance and, if they do, at what benefit rate.
Some states, including Pennsylvania, provide Unemployment Insurance for workers who have had their hours of work, and thus their pay, reduced. Critically, for states like Pennsylvania that participate, the CARES Act provides an additional, flat $600 per week supplement for eligible Unemployment Insurance claimants but only for the period between April 4, 2020, and July 31, 2020 even for those who are eligible for Unemployment Insurance because of a reduction in hours and pay. In addition, workers eligible for Unemployment Insurance because of a reduction in hours and pay, who exhaust their state Unemployment Insurance eligibility, also qualify for up to 13 weeks of additional Unemployment Insurance benefits provided by the CARES Act.
How Are Partial Unemployment Benefits Determined
Partial unemployment benefits are calculated in the same way as full benefits are. The state looks at the applicant’s earning history and length of employment to determine a base period. It will also consider the date they became unemployed and the number of hours they’re currently working at a part-time job. It plugs this information into a formula to calculate the benefit amount that the applicant qualifies for.
The benefit will also be determined by how much the applicant is currently making in their part-time job. Some states specify that those who make more than a certain dollar amount are ineligible for benefits, while other states have created a table of earnings that determines how much will be paid. You will need to check with your state to see what formula will be used to determine your benefit.
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File An Initial Application
You should file your UC application for benefits using one of the following methods:
- Online An online application can be filed using our secure website 7 days a week, 24 hours
- Telephone An application can be filed on the statewide unemployment compensation toll-free number at 1-888-313-7284.
- For claimants filing a NEW claim: If you are filing for benefits for the first time, you need to contact the UC Service Center and let them know youll need to file by phone in the future. The UC Service Center will file an initial application and provide you a PIN number to use while filing over the phone in the future.
- Videophone service For individuals who use American Sign Language videophone service is available every Wednesday from noon to 4 p.m. at 717-704-8474. Sign language is the ONLY means of communication provided through the Videophone.
How To File A Claim For Unemployment Benefits In Pennsylvania
You may file your claim for unemployment benefits online, by phone, by fax, or by mail. You can find online filing information and contact information at the DLI’s website. Once you file, you must continue to file weekly claims with the DLI for each week for which you are claiming benefits.
Once it receives your application, the DLI will send you some documents, including a Notice of Financial Determination indicating your potential benefit amount and duration.
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What Are Partial Unemployment Benefits
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Are you working part-time, despite wanting full-time work? Were your hours reduced? Depending on your situation and location, you may be eligible for partial unemployment benefits.
In some states, an unemployed worker can sometimes receive partial benefits if they work less than a full week and earn a certain amount of moneyand if they meet other requirements.
How Long Can A Claimant Collect Partial Unemployment Insurance Benefits
How long workers can collect unemployment benefits will vary from one state to another, but in most cases, itâs about 26 weeks. Some states, such as Florida and the Carolinas, offer less than 26 weeks, while other states such as New York, California, and the District of Columbia provide benefits for a longer period.
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Q: Can You Get Unemployment Compensation
A: You are eligible to receive unemployment compensation if you:
Eligibility For Unemployment Benefits
To be eligible for unemployment benefit payments, you must:
- Lose your job through no fault of your own OR quit for good cause related to the work or the employer.
- Make at least $2,250at least $1,500 during one of the calendar quarters, and at least $750 during the remainder of the base periodfrom an insured employer during your base period. .
- AND your total base period wages must be at least 1.5 times your highest quarter wages.
- OR you must make at least 1.5 times the Taxable Wage Base during two of the four base period quarters.
Special Notes:
- Any information provided during the claims application process may be subject to verification through computer matching programs.
- If your hours were reduced, you may also be eligible for partial unemployment benefits.
- To remain eligible:
- You must report all wages earned each week, even if you wont be paid until later. This includes tips, commissions, bonuses, show-up time, military reserve pay, board, and lodging.
- You must be able and available for work each week. This means you have no illness, injury, or personal circumstances that would keep you from working full time.
- Refusing an offer of work may result in denial of unemployment benefits.
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Filing An Initial Claim
What information do I need to file a new application?
When filing a new application, you will need the following information:
- Your Social Security number
- Full mailing address, including apartment or lot number, Zip Code and PO Box if you use one
- A phone number where you can be reached during the day
- The name and mailing address of your last employer, no matter how long you worked there
- Note: Your paycheck stub or W-2 form usually contains this information
- The date you began and stopped working for each employer and the reason you left each job for the last 18 months
- The county in which you live
- Your driver’s license number
- If you are not a citizen or national of the United States, your employment authorization number and expiration date
- If you were active duty military within the past 18 months, your DD-214, Member #4 form
- If you were a federal employee, your Standard Form SF-50 or pay stub
- Any separation, vacation, or holiday pay you have received or will receive in the future.
A record of your application will not be established unless you are told your claim has been accepted. If you are unable to complete your application, the information you have entered will be saved for 7 days from the date you began filing the claim so that you can complete it later and within 7 days.
What will my Weekly Benefit Amount be?
What if I have wages earned in another state, the military, or the federal government?
When can I file an application for unemployment on the internet?
Who Is Eligible For Pa Partial Checks
You are eligible if you are in an employment situation where your full-time hours are reduced. The initiative to reduce working hours must come from the employer. This means that the reduction should have nothing to do with you or your actions. Another scenario is where an employee is separated from a job and obtains part-time work elsewhere with fewer hours. This person can successfully apply for unemployment benefits in Pennsylvania. However, the reasons behind the changes in employment status should not be the fault of the employee.
The earnings are declared based on when they were earned and not when they were paid. When you apply for partial employment benefits, you become available for work, and the state expects you to be actively looking for a job. However, you must complete your part-time employers hours to avoid delay in payments or denial altogether.
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How Do I Apply For Partial Unemployment In Nj
In order to apply for partial unemployment in NJ, you will need to contact your local unemployment office.
You must meet these requirements in order to file an online Request for Benefits. When you fill out the Request for Benefits form, you will be asked about your employment, wages, and hours worked. You must also provide a copy of your most recent pay stub or W-2. If you are unsure whether you are eligible for benefits, you can contact the Department of Labor in your state. Representatives will be able to assist you in determining if you are eligible and provide you with information about the benefits available to you. If you are eligible for benefits, representatives can assist you in filing your claim.
How To File A Claim
You should have the following items prepared to file a claim for partial UI benefits:
If we need to verify the information you provide, we will mail you additional information or request more documentation.
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How To Obtain Partial Checks For Pa Unemployment
The maximum amount per week in this state is $572 without dependents and $580 with dependents. The unemployment benefits last for 26 weeks. Payment is calculated based on the partial benefits credit. The PBC is usually 30% of the weekly benefits rate. A partial employee can make a claim online or via phone.
Online applications are open 24/7 on the PA unemployment benefits website. If you decide to use the phone, you should use the toll-free number 1-888-313-7284. The process is similar whether you go the website way or the phone way. For American Sign Language users, the state offers a videophone service, and it is available every Wednesday from 12 noon to 4 pm at 717-704-8474.
How Unemployment Benefits Are Funded
State unemployment benefits are issued by each State Agency that focuses on employment. Both partial and regular unemployment benefits are funded by the employing companys state tax withholdings based on employee wages. In other words, a fixed percentage of each employees wages are paid by the company.
While employers are not necessarily charged for unemployment benefits after the fact, they are notified when an employee files for an unemployment benefit.
This is to prevent fraud by giving the employer the opportunity to contest the claim in the case of misconduct, termination, or a change in roles. Employees cannot be fired for filing a partial unemployment claim. Check with your state unemployment office website for information on partial unemployment benefits in your location.
The information contained in this article is not legal advice and is not a substitute for such advice. State and federal laws change frequently, and the information in this article may not reflect your own states laws or the most recent changes to the law.
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