Pennsylvania Unemployment Compensation Benefits Guide

Have you recently lost your job? If so you are joining the millions of Americans, including myself, who have recently become unemployed. Becoming unemployed is a scary time in one's life. Your mind will be swarmed with "what ifs" and what should I do next? If you become unemployed in the state of Pennsylvania, there are financial options available to you. Pennsylvania's Department of Labor & Industry offers Unemployment Compensation Services to individuals. I personally have gone through this process. Let me tell you it may not be an easy journey, but hopefully this will help you through it.

Not everyone who loses their job in Pennsylvania is eligible for Unemployment Compensation Benefits. The Department of Labor & Industry's website provides a detailed list of qualifications to be eligible to claim benefits. Any individual who has become unemployed in the state of Pennsylvania may apply for benefits, however certain factors will determine your eligibility to actually receive these benefits. The number one reason to be eligible to receive benefits is to become unemployed at no fault of your own. A full list of requirements is available at http://www.dli.state.pa.us/ KEYWORD: UNEMPLOYMENT. After reading through this list of requirements, your next step is to file your initial claim.

The first step to claiming Unemployment Benefits in Pennsylvania is to apply for them. There are different methods to apply for your initial unemployment claim. According to Pennsylvania's Department of Labor & Industry's website you can file an initial claim online at https://www.paclaims.state.pa.us/UCEN/ 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. The website also provides you with a link to download and print a paper application, which you can mail or fax to your local Unemployment Services Center. The website also provides a method to file an initial claim by phone. According to the site you can call 1-888-313-7284 Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. as well. Unemployment Services are not available on Saturdays in the state of Pennsylvania. According to the Department of L&I call volumes are highest on Mondays and Tuesdays and are lower later during the week. So you might want to keep that in mind if you chose to file by phone.

When filing you initial claim the Department of Labor & Industry will require you to provide your social security number, a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation ID, alien registration number (for non-us citizens), name and address of your most recent employer, and information from or a copy of your most recent pay stub. These are the basic required items to file a new benefits claim, however certain circumstances will require some to provide additional documentation items. The additional circumstances can be found at http://www.dli.state.pa.us/ KEYWORD: UNEMPLOYMENT. If you are only partially or temporarily unemployed, you may be eligible to claim partial unemployment benefits. Additional information on partial unemployment can be obtained on the website as well. Once you complete the initial benefits claim application, you will receive a determination of financial eligibility. You then will be determined eligible by your employer. If you are determined ineligible by either side you will receive notification in the main. You typically have 15 days to appeal these determinations. If you are determined eligible, you will begin receiving your benefits after the mandatory waiting week. Once you begin receiving your benefits, file your subsequent unemployment weeks bi-weekly, using either the phone or online method. Good luck and any additional information can be obtained at http://www.dli.state.pa.us/ KEYWORD: UNEMPLOYMENT.

Source: http://www.dli.state.pa.us KEYWORD: UNEMPLOYMENT