Check out the guidelines regarding the procedure of filing biweekly claim for Pennsylvania Unemployment Benefits at uc.pa.gov
Unemployment is like a nightmare for any person. This is a state, wherein person gets disheartened because of not getting job and feels rejected. This disappointment can lead him/her in depression. Also for the government; unemployment is concerning topic to pay attention, as it indirectly affects the economy and development of the country. Most of the government initiates different programs to help unemployed people to re-establish them in life. In Pennsylvania, also government has formed a body called Unemployment Compensation (UC), which provides different benefits to unemployed people. Under this program, people who have lost their job with no fault of their own will be given monetary aid. It can be called a temporary income to help them as they are looking for job.
Eligibility to claim for Bi-weekly Claim:
You have been working at a job which is covered under Pennsylvania’s UC Law. And you have lost a job by something, which is not your fault. For example, you have lost job as your employer had made cutbacks; went out of business; closed the office or something you could not control. Then you are eligible to claim for UC. Also, it is necessary for you to be ready also to join either old or new job. You will also have to actively search for job during each week after claiming for UC benefits, as it is compulsory by federal law.
If you have quitted your job or fired from your job, then you are not eligible for UC.
After filling for benefits, within 30 days only the claimants of UC have to be compulsorily registered in employment search services at jobgateway.pa.gov. The JobGateway provides more than 200,000 real time job postings. Even if, you are already registered in the JobGateway or PA CareerLink systems, visit the site to enter important information such as Social Security Number, Keystone ID/Password and Profile – Work Experience. The claimants who fail to register will not be able to get claim benefits.
Bi-weekly Claim Filing Instructions:
First you have to file initial application for UC benefits. Then for each week, you have to file your claim if you are totally or partially unemployed during that period. A week in UC is a calendar week, which starts with Sunday and ends at Saturday. The date on which Saturday comes is called the compensable week ending (CWE) date. Generally, you will file claims two weeks at a time, which is called bi-weekly claim. Even if you file for two weeks at one time, you will be eligible to get benefits for each week separately.
Online claim filing is the best way and you can file from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday, and from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday to Friday. You can also file your claim via phone using the automated PA Teleclaims (PAT) system. You can call at: 888-255-4728 from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday and 6 a.m.to 9 p.m. on Monday to Friday.
You can also file your claim by mail if you do not have telephone or internet facility. You have to provide all the applicable information in the claim form. After completing the claim form, you have certified the completeness and truthfulness of the claim by your signature and also need to specify the date. Before mailing the claim form, write your name and return mailing address in the upper left corner of the envelope and attach proper postage to the envelope. Then mail it to the UC Service Center address in the week beginning with the date printed in the claim form. If it is postmarked before the specified date, it will be returned back. And if it is postmarked after that week, you will be late for filing claim but may be eligible for benefits of one or both weeks. If your claim form received by mail is valid, then it will be processed for payment. If the details of the claim form are incomplete or invalid, the form will be returned which will results in payment delay.
Benefits of Biweekly Claim:
If you are qualified to receive UC claim, you will get paid bi-weekly for a limited number of weeks, as per the predefined rules. The amount paid to you will be half of what you earn before being unemployed. The amount paid to you is called weekly benefit rate and calculated on the basis of what you have earned in your base year. The most earned money quarter in your base year is called high quarter and this high quarter helps to determine your weekly benefit rate.
Pennsylvania does not provide checks to claimants via mail. The only mean to pay the benefit to claimants is either by direct deposit or claimants have to use UC debit card. The simple and convenient way to get benefits is direct deposit. And for that you have to provide your bank account number, routing number, the bank’s address and telephone number. Within four weeks only, benefits will be start get deposited in your account. During this period only, you will also get a UC debit card via mail. This debit card works same as regular bank card and you don’t need to pay any fees for it. All information related to UC debit card is available at UC official site.
Information required filing a Claim:
Your Information:
Social Security Number
Home address
Mailing address (if different than your home address)
Telephone number
Alien registration number, if you aren’t a U.S. citizen or national DD Form 214, if you were on active duty in the U.S. military during the last two years
Information from Standard Form 8, Standard Form 50, W-2s and or pay stubs, if you worked for the federal government in the last 18 months
Employer Information:
Name of your last employer or the employer where you’re currently working less hours
Complete mailing address of your last employer (name, street address, city, state, Zip Code)
Date you started working for that employer
Date of the last day you worked for the employer
Reason you left, or the reason you are working less hours
Employment History:
Names of all employers where you worked in the last 18 months (name, street address, city, state, Zip Code)
Start and end dates for all employers where you worked in the last 18 months
Wages you earned for all employers where you worked in the last 18 months, and how you were paid (hourly, weekly, monthly)
Direct Deposit Information:
Bank name, street address, city, state and Zip Code
Bank telephone number
Bank account number
Bank account routing number
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