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I am currently employed in PA full-time. I'll be laid of in a week. On weekends, I go back home to NJ to help my mom out at her store--I'm a payrolled employee and receive healthcare benefits from that job, but make about 100-150 dollars a week with that job.
My question is, laid off of my PA job but still working with my mom only on weekends, can I still collect unemployment from PA? I hope so, as the NJ job was to help pay off student loans, and I won't have enough to live off before finding a new job if I don't get benefits...What's the deal there?
Yes, you can collect PA benefits when you lose that job and continue on with the NJ job.
PA uses a partial benefit rate, adding 30% to your normal weekly benefit amount, from which it deducts your part-time earnings.
Ex: If your weekly PA benefit is $400, the PBR is $520 ($400 + 30%), your GROSS weekly NJ earnings of $150 are deducted, PA pays you $370 ($520-$150). Explained, here:
Be sure to report your GROSS earnings, before any deductions, when claiming benefits. It will probably take PA a few weeks or longer, to get your claim going, so plan accordingly.
Before you file, check w/PA as to what quarters it will be using for your claim.
In some states, if you file the first week in October, your base year would be April 2012-March 2013, as the state backdates the claim to the Sunday preceding the date you file, thereby possibly excluding a quarter.
If you file the second week in October, your base-year will be July 2012-June 2013.
I'm not certain if PA backdates its claims, but you want to be sure to capture as much of your earnings into your base-year period for the best benefit,
I had two jobs in Pa. My primary job laid me off but I still have my second part time job. But the uc.pa.gov website won't allow me to put that information in . Please give me some advice about how to file for my UC for the primary job. Thank you
I had two jobs in Pa. My primary job laid me off but I still have my second part time job. But the uc.pa.gov website won't allow me to put that information in . Please give me some advice about how to file for my UC for the primary job. Thank you
Forget about inputting any data on the 2nd job. Those earnings will turn up in PA's database. Just file a claim on the basis of layoff from the first job. PA will figure out a benefit for you, probably have to interview you first.
When the claim is established, you file weekly claims, and MUST report your GROSS part-time earnings each week that you WORK (not when you're paid). PA will pay you a partial benefit, as described in the post above yours.
Weekly WBA + 30%
Deduct gross part-time earnings
Pay you the difference.
Not sure if you're still active on this site (city-data.com) as I see you posted your question on 9.24.13, but I was wondering how it worked out for you, as I am facing almost the exact same situation. Any info would be greatly appreciated!
You asked if you could still collect unemployment from PA after you were laid off off from you PA job, even though you still worked at your family's business in NJ on the weekends (through which you receive health care benefits). One of the people who responded suggested that you can collect PA unemployment, but your PA benefit rate would potentially be reduced because of your NJ earnings.
My intuition is that your NJ wages should not have affected the amount that you could collect in PA for being laid off, since the NJ job was a preexisting job, not a new one to replace the old one. Did the PA unemployment agency ask about your NJ earnings? Did PA reduce the amount of your weekly benefit rate based on the amount that you earned from your preexisting NJ part time job?
If you get this, thanks for any info you can provide! And I hope it worked out well for you.
My intuition is that your NJ wages should not have affected the amount that you could collect
Your intuition would be wrong. A job is a job.
You could have two jobs in one state or one job in one state and another in another state. The question on the weekly claim form is "did you earn ANY money?" Not, did you earn any money in PA. UI sets a FLOOR. Any ideas you might have that you can supplement your UI by working will be quickly negated by the offset.
You could have two jobs in one state or one job in one state and another in another state. The question on the weekly claim form is "did you earn ANY money?" Not, did you earn any money in PA. UI sets a FLOOR. Any ideas you might have that you can supplement your UI by working will be quickly negated by the offset.
I understand that and all, but it brings up a point. Lets say that you work a full time job in one state and a part time job in another state similar to the OP's situation. You need both incomes to survive. Now your UI benefit is limited because of the second job's income. So they offer you this small amount to replace your full time job and then say since you have a part time job we will limit your benefit further. Look, I get it and all, it just seems like it could be a rip off to the employee. You pay for a benefit and if you were only working the one job you would get the full benefit, because you are also working a second job then you are out of luck.
So they offer you this small amount to replace your full time job
Both the full- and part-time job's wages in the base period will be used to calculate your weekly benefit.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE
then say since you have a part time job we will limit your benefit further.
Not really further, but because UI only replaces about 50% of your income and you can hit a max benefit cap that kills it for a high earner, you're right. However, you can read my many posts on this topic. Part-time jobs are a rip off in so many cases for a UI claimant. In my state with the stingy exclusion, you can end up working for a $1/hr of marginal income on the gross, but net a negative amount on social security, child care, and commuting expenses. I tell people not to do it until AFTER the UI runs out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE
it just seems like it could be a rip off to the employee.
it's not a "seems," it IS a rip off in so many cases, but the state UI websites constantly extoll the virtues of working part time with the FAQ "Can I work part time"? and they always say, "YES," but when you do the math and take into account the other problems that can result, you realize the more correct question should be, "should I work part time"? or "do I have to accept part-time work"? and the answer would be, "90% of the time, NO. You shouldn't even be applying for part-time work if you lost a full-time job."
Quote:
Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE
You pay for a benefit
You don't pay it, the employer does, and that's why the states encourage part-time work. To help the employer avoid higher taxes, not because it's to the benefit of the claimant.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE
I may consider "leaving" the other job. LOL
You have to know the system stone cold to pull this off. For most states, a quit is a quit. You quit that part-time, and you LOSE your entire UI check even if you were getting a partial benefit.
Usually, you have to quit the part-time job BEFORE you lose the full-time job, but how many times do you get advance notice you're getting canned? Also, if it can be proven that you knew in advance that you were losing the full-time job, you'd still be a loser.
Part-time work creates complexities that most claimants just don't have the knowledge to deal with and it should be avoided until you throughly learn the system.
I am not trying to learn the system. I would prefer to avoid it. I have a business of my own as well as working a full time job. I have worked part time jobs in the past and the truth is that I have not recognized any benefits to working a second job. Building your own business though is an amazing benefit. I am working toward not needing the full time job.
Then you're going to hate the UI system if you ever have to use it.
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Your Question about PA Unemployment Compensation
