Am I eligible for unemployment benefits, and how do I apply?

Published: 06 April, 2020 | Last updated: 21 May, 2020 8:42 pm | Español

From Billy Penn
By Layla A. Jones

Philly workers left scrambling may be eligible for unemployment benefits if:

  • Your employer temporarily closes or goes out of business because of COVID-19.
  • Your hours have been reduced because of COVID-19.
  • You have been told not to work because your employer feels you might have or spread COVID-19.
  • You have been told by your doctor to quarantine or self-isolate.
  • You live or work in a county under government-recommended mitigation efforts.

Philadelphians who were not laid off can also file for worker’s compensation if they 1) believe they’ve been exposed to COVID-19 at work or 2) believe they have a higher risk of COVID-19 exposure due to job requirements. To get this benefit, though, your employer has to be the one to file, submitting a “disease-as-injury” or “occupational disease” claim.

The quickest way to file is online, but workers can also file via mail, over videophone every Wednesday from noon to 4 p.m. for deaf applications, or over the phone.

Make sure you have these necessary documents and info:

  • Your social security number.
  • Your home address, and if different from the home, your mailing address.
  • Your phone number and email address.
  • Employer info and employment history including gross earnings during your last week of employment, if available.

Read the full article: What you need to know about filing for unemployment in PA right now


From The Philadelphia Inquirer
By Juliana Feliciano Reyes

You are likely eligible if anything about the coronavirus crisis has stopped you from working. That could also mean:

  • You quit your job because your employer was requiring you to work but you believed that it was unsafe. You must have tried to keep your job, though, which means that you need to bring up your concerns with your supervisor.
  • Your were fired because your employer was requiring you to work and you believed that it was unsafe.
  • You can't get to work because public transportation is shut down.

Gig workers most likely cannot get unemployment benefits. If you’ve been an employee in the last year and a half, you might be eligible for some benefits, but if you’ve been a 1099 independent contractor for that whole period, you will likely be denied.

In order to keep getting benefits, you have to file a claim every two weeks, showing that you’re still unemployed and reporting any money you make.

You can get up to 26 weeks of benefits.

Read the full article: Unemployment benefits in Pa. during the coronavirus pandemic: How to apply and who is eligible

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