How To File a Weekly Claim
Filing your weekly claim is one of the most important components of ensuring that you are accurately paid PA unemployment benefits. In order to successfully file your weekly claim, you can follow the steps below.
Step 1
Log into your Pennsylvania unemployment dashboard account, where you’ll be prompted to follow the instructions for filing. If you’re filing a weekly certification, you’ll scroll down until you locate the File for Weekly Benefits link – it appears in the center column under Unemployment Services.
Step 2
Select “File Your Weekly Certification” to begin your certification process. After you read the explanation of certification, select Next. The system will prompt you to acknowledge that you have read and understand the presented information about penalties for potential PA unemployment fraud.
Step 3
The next screen will allow you the opportunity to update your contact information. Select
Update Contact Information if your address, telephone number, or email address has changed since originally establishing your PA unemployment eligibility.
Step 4
Now it’s time to report your work activity. You’ll see the dates for which you are filing. You’ll be asked a series of questions about your work activity for that time period, and your answers must accurately reflect your work situation for that week. For example, you must report any hours you worked and subsequent payment received, and you must report any offer of employment that you received, even if you did not accept.
The department will determine whether the offer was suitable. If you earned any income during the week, including regular pay, commissions, tips, vacation or holiday pay, potential earnings, paid sick leave, or any other earnings related to your previous job, select Yes so that you can report that information. From there, simply follow the prompts presented by the system to enter your information. Depending on how you answer these questions, you may be asked for additional information.
Step 5
Once all questions for the time period specified have been answered, you will have the opportunity to review and/or edit your answers. You will be asked to again acknowledge that you have read and understand potential fraud penalties before selecting Next. Unless you have further weeks to certify, you may select “No, I Would Like to Stop,” which will provide you with a claim summary.
What Is the Best Way To File a Weekly Claim?
You must file a weekly claim to be paid your PA unemployment compensation. The best way to file your weekly unemployment benefits claim is to file online. You can file your claim any time from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday, and from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday.
You also may file your weekly claim by phone by using the Pennsylvania Teleclaims (PAT) system. Simply call 888-255-4728 from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays and from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Tips for Filing a Weekly Claim
There are a few things you can keep in mind when it comes to successfully filing your weekly claim.
First, keep in mind that “weekly” can also mean “bi-weekly.” Pennsylvania will allow you to file on either a weekly or bi-weekly basis, and you’re paid according to when you file. So don’t be thrown when you see that the only option for filing is weekly. You can still file every other week and be paid according to that timetable. For Pennsylvania’s unemployment compensation purposes, a week comprises a full calendar week that begins Sunday and ends on Saturday. You can use the PA unemployment calculator to help determine which option is better for you.
When you get to the question, “Did you work?” answer “yes” if you worked at all – or if you received any kind of supplemental income or paid leave from your employer.
Once you answer in the affirmative, you’ll get to a follow-up question that asks you whether you worked normally or were compensated as if you worked a normal, full week. You won’t be eligible for benefits if the answer to either question is yes.
If you want to avoid any type of delay, be sure to accurately report your earnings. For example, if you received any vacation pay, you’ll need to answer “yes,” to the question of whether you worked, and then report the amount of money you received in vacation pay.
Also, be sure to correctly answer the question about being available to work. In some cases, even if you don’t have transportation to an on-site position but are available to work from home, you’ll need to answer “yes” to that question. Working from home is a common practice since the pandemic, so if your role can be performed from home, you should still indicate that you are able and available to work.
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