Unemployment Compensation Benefits From PA Labor and Industry
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry runs the Unemployment Compensation (UC) program, which provides temporary income support if you lose your job through no fault of your own, or if your hours are reduced.
Any unemployed person can file a claim. Eligibility is determined by L&I after you apply, based on your earnings, employment history, and separation from work. L&I looks at financial eligibility (wages earned and work duration, as reported by your past employers), benefit eligibility (whether you lost work through no fault of your own, with your employer allowed to give details about your separation), and maintaining eligibility (you must be able, available and actively seeking work, must not refuse any suitable offers of work, and must participate in any mandatory reemployment services such as work registration and the RESEA program). Under Pennsylvania UC Law you must have sufficient qualifying wages and a minimum of 18 credit weeks in your base year; a credit week is any week in the base year that you earned at least $116. Eligibility cannot be predetermined before you apply.
If you are granted benefits, your benefit year gives you a 52-week period beginning with the date of your application. If you claim the full amount each week, you receive your maximum allowance of benefits in 18 to 26 weeks. If you receive partial benefits because of part-time earnings, the claim can extend beyond 26 weeks. Benefits end when your balance is exhausted or your benefit year ends, whichever happens first. If your benefit year ends and you worked during it, you can reapply and your financial eligibility will be redetermined. The first week you are unemployed and otherwise eligible is the "waiting week," which is not paid, but you must still file a weekly certification for that week to be paid for later weeks.
There are three ways to file:
- Online through Pennsylvania's secure UC system at benefits.uc.pa.gov, any day, any time, 24/7. This is described as the best and fastest way to apply.
- By phone at the toll-free number 1-888-313-7284, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- By videophone at 717-704-8474 for American Sign Language users, Wednesdays noon to 4 p.m. and Fridays noon to 4 p.m.
Before you start, have documents ready, including your last employer's name, address, phone, and dates of employment. Always provide accurate information, because incorrect or fraudulent details can delay processing or lead to penalties.
If you file online, you get a confirmation page at the end of the application and a confirmation email with the date you need to file your continued claim, also called your weekly certification. No matter what day of the week you submit your initial claim, it is effective on Sunday. You will also get a financial determination letter in your UC Message Center or by postal mail, typically within three business days, stating your financial eligibility and your effective date; keep it in a safe place. After your initial claim, you must file a weekly certification, online or by phone, for every week you want benefits. Payments are generally transferred on the payment issued date shown in your UC Dashboard and can take two to three business days to process. Payments are not transmitted on state, federal or banking holidays, or on weekends.
For help managing a claim, UC staff are available by phone at 888-313-7284 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., you can chat online with UC representatives on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and you can email uchelp@pa.gov any time. For individuals with hearing or speech difficulties, use a TTY device to text 888-334-4046. To update your phone number, email or address, call the UC Service Center at 888-313-7284, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (EST), and select Option 3.
If you would rather get help in person, UC Connect offers face-to-face help with your UC claim at PA CareerLink locations across Pennsylvania. You can make an appointment by calling 1-855-284-8545.
If you were laid off earlier and did not file right away, contact the UC Service Center to request backdating, or email uchelp@pa.gov with "Back Date Request" in the subject line, the exact date and relevant information about your separation. Send only one email request. Backdating is permitted only in a very limited number of circumstances, generally where you did not file timely claims through no fault of your own.
L&I's Office of Unemployment Compensation provides a variety of language services, free of charge, to assist claimants who speak a language other than English, with UC language service information posted in Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, French, Khmer and Arabic.
Source: pa.gov/services/dli/apply-for-unemployment-compensation-b…, read September 18, 2026.
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1-888-313-7284 Apply by Videophone Videophone assistance is avaialble for American Sign Language users: on Wednesdays (noon–4 p.m.) and Fridays (noon–4 p.m.). 717-704-8474
- Have documents ready — including your last employer’s name, address, phone, and dates of employment.
In PA Department of Labor and Industry’s words
The Unemployment Compensation (UC) program provides temporary income support if you lose your job through no fault of your own, or if your hours are reduced.
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PA Department of Labor and Industry
About this listing
This listing summarizes publicly available information from pa.gov/services/dli/apply-for-unemployment-compensation-b…. Last recorded review: September 18, 2026. Contact the provider to confirm eligibility, hours and availability before you go. If something here is wrong, tell us.