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Pennsylvania extends unemployment compensation benefits for 13 weeks

The last time the extended benefits program was triggered in Pennsylvania was 2009

Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry Secretary Jerry Oleksiak announced that people who exhaust their regular unemployment compensation and federal Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) may now qualify for 13 additional weeks of payments through the state’s Unemployment Compensation Extended Benefits program.

Extended Benefits (EB) are additional unemployment compensation benefits payable to qualified workers whenever the state’s unemployment rate reaches a certain level determined by law. 

The last time the extended benefits program was triggered in Pennsylvania was 2009.

The current extended benefits period started May 3, 2020, but benefits are not payable until an individual has exhausted PEUC benefits. Extended benefit payments will begin with the week ending July 4, 2020 and are payable only for weeks of unemployment during an EB period.

Important information about the extended benefits program follows and will be sent by mail to all individuals who potentially qualify for the additional benefits.

Eligibility 

You may be eligible for extended benefits if:

  • You are totally or partially unemployed;
  • You have exhausted your regular state benefits on your most recent unemployment compensation claim, or your most recent unemployment compensation benefit year has ended; and
  • You have received the maximum amount of PEUC that you were eligible to receive.

Additional eligibility information is available here.

How to Receive Extended Benefits

If you collect the maximum amount of PEUC that you are eligible to receive, an extended benefits Notice of Financial Determination will be mailed to you.

  • You must complete your weekly extended benefits online certification in order to claim extended benefits for weeks that you are totally or partially unemployed.
  • Each extended benefits  online certification corresponds to one specific week, as indicated on the web form. Individuals who opt to use paper claim forms should only use the form that is specifically dated for the week of unemployment you are claiming.
  • If you do not receive your Financial Determination within two weeks after you receive your final PEUC payment, call the Unemployment Compensation Service Center at 1-888-313-7284.

Extended Benefit Weekly Benefit Amount

  • EB weekly benefit payments are the same as regular unemployment compensation.
  • The total amount of extended benefits that you may receive is 50 percent of the amount of regular unemployment compensation you were financially eligible to receive on your most recent claim. Example:
    • If you were financially eligible for 26 weeks of regular unemployment compensation, you may receive up to 13 weeks of extended benefits.
  • There is an additional wage test for extended benefits eligibility, so not all individuals will financially qualify.
  • Extended benefits may only be paid for weeks ending during an extended benefits period.
  • If you are entitled to Trade Readjustment Allowances, you may receive fewer weeks of extended benefit.

SOURCE: Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry

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