If you already have a PUA account and are ready to file your weekly claim certification...
PUA log in https://pua.benefits.uc.pa.gov/vosnet/Default.aspx
Highlights of 01/27/21 update...
- PUA web site is giving everyone trouble... not working correctly, not allowing certification of back weeks.
Here are some hints:
1) After re-opening a claim, you apparently have to wait 1 week before you can do the weekly certifications.
2) Request backdating... if you are looking to have the effective date of your claim earlier than the week in which you opened your claim, call PUA at 855-284-8545 or send an email to [email protected] with a subject line "BACK DATE REQUEST". In the email body you have to say when and how Covid-19 affected your self-employment and wish weeks you wish to claim.
3) Example back date email: I want to backdate my unemployment claim to March 15th because I had temporarily closed my business until June 6th due to the Governor's closure orders. Please note I don't need to claim unemployment as of June 8th because I re-opened my business as of June 8, 2020.
New question added approximately 06/14/20...
Helpful information
Monetary Determination letter
Filing your PUA weekly certification
PUA log in https://pua.benefits.uc.pa.gov/vosnet/Default.aspx
Highlights of 01/27/21 update...
- PUA web site is giving everyone trouble... not working correctly, not allowing certification of back weeks.
Here are some hints:
1) After re-opening a claim, you apparently have to wait 1 week before you can do the weekly certifications.
2) Request backdating... if you are looking to have the effective date of your claim earlier than the week in which you opened your claim, call PUA at 855-284-8545 or send an email to [email protected] with a subject line "BACK DATE REQUEST". In the email body you have to say when and how Covid-19 affected your self-employment and wish weeks you wish to claim.
3) Example back date email: I want to backdate my unemployment claim to March 15th because I had temporarily closed my business until June 6th due to the Governor's closure orders. Please note I don't need to claim unemployment as of June 8th because I re-opened my business as of June 8, 2020.
New question added approximately 06/14/20...
- There is a new question regarding Covid-19. "How did the COVID-19 pandemic cause your unemployment?"
- Choose one of these reasons that your unemployment relates to Covid-19:
- Covid-19 illness in family or requested medical quarantine
- If you have no work... "You were scheduled to commence employment and do not have a job or are unable to reach the job as a direct result of the COVID-19".
- If you were closed... "Your place of employment is closed as a direct result of the COVID-19".
Helpful information
- PUA assistance phone # 855-284-8545, Mon-Fri 8am-4pm.
- Some good general info... https://www.uc.pa.gov/unemployment-benefits/file/Pages/Filing-for-PUA.aspx
- An unemployment week is Sunday through Saturday.
- So the first day you can file your weekly claim is on Sunday of the following week.
- It's ok to file your weekly claim any day Sunday through Friday.
- You will usually receive weekly PUA payments within three business days after filing your weekly certification.
- You do NOT need a Personal Identification Number (PIN) with the PUA system, you will have the username and password that you create.
- You will NOT receive a confirmation email after submitting your initial PUA claim, you can go into the PUA dashboard to see the claim.
- You CAN manage everything through your PUA dashboard - check on your claim status, upload documents, see payment information, etc.
- PUA system guide (see pg 18 for filing weekly certification)... https://www.uc.pa.gov/unemployment-benefits/file/Documents/PUA%20System%20Guide%205.2020.pdf
- PUA weekly certification guide... https://www.uc.pa.gov/unemployment-benefits/file/Documents/PUA%20Weekly%20Filing%20Guide_5.6.20%20FINAL.pdf
- Part-time job weekly certification guide (if you have part-time earnings to report)... https://www.uc.pa.gov/unemployment-benefits/file/Documents/Part-Time%20PUA%20Weekly%20Benefit%20Filing%20Guide%205.6.20%20FINAL.pdf
Monetary Determination letter
- log in online to receive this letter from your Dashboard https://pua.benefits.uc.pa.gov/vosnet/Default.aspx
- 1st paragraph says you are eligible
- top right shows your starting week of unemployment benefits
- 1st paragraph gives you your weekly amount. But add $300 per week to this amount which will come separately every 2 weeks ($600). The extra $300 continues through the week ending 03/14/2021.
- Important if you are still working... Top of page 2, after the PUA phone #... next line shows how much you can make and still receive partial benefits. "During a claim week that you are working and you earn more than XXX, but less than YYY, you may qualify for partial benefits."
- If you want to keep your full benefits, you need to earn less then the XXX in your letter.
- If you disagree with something on this letter or made a mistake when applying, call them to see how to correct information 855-284-8545.
- Bottom of page 2 listing documents... in my opinion, this section means nothing and is only for anyone who did not upload tax return documents during the application process. certain corporate shareholders didn't need to upload documents. If they need documents, they will request again. My advice is to ignore this section.
Filing your PUA weekly certification
- each week you need to file for unemployment... and tell them you had no work, some work, or full-time work.
- go to the PUA web site. Click on top right blue button "File Your PUA weekly Certification" https://pua.benefits.uc.pa.gov/vosnet/Default.aspx
- log into your account (use your self-created login info from when you originally applied). You will end up in your "Dashboard" area.
- look for Unemployment Services menu on right
- select "File for Weekly Benefits" or "Weekly Claim Certification"
- Your Eligibility - Availability... other than for pandemic reasons were you able to go to work? "yes"
- Did you engage in any new self-employment activity or sideline business? "no" (this is if you started a brand new business while unemployed... like selling on ebay while waiting for your main business to recover).
- Were you still unemployed as a direct result of this disaster/pandemic? "yes" (answer yes, as long as you were under-employed... not working up to your normal full-time level).
- Are you currently looking for work... "yes"
- Did you work (full or part-time) or earn wages during the week of xxx?
- Answer "no", if your work resulted in a loss after expenses. S corporations can use home office rents, cell phone, internet and mileage as valid expense for the week to help reduce to zero.
- Caution: the directions says to answer "yes" if you worked, but did not receive the payment yet.
- In my opinion, the above indicates that you could answer "no" if you received money this week from work in a prior period. Did you EARN the money without regard to when you were paid.
- So it would be ok to receive a $5k check from old December 2019 billings... and answer that you did not work this week.
- Clarification and my opinion: Do not include admin work performed in reference to this question. Only include work that generated customer revenue
- If you had some work, you need to answer "yes". Refer to your Monetary Determination Letter to see how much "earnings (profit after expenses)" you are allowed.
- they want details... how much profit (after expenses) you earned each day.
- What is the definition of "earnings"? Net profit after expenses even if those expenses have not been paid yet.
- Sometimes they ask... Were you still working for your own company?
- If you did not work for customers, answer "No". Reason: Layoff / lack of work.
- If you had partial work, answer "Yes".
- If you had some work earnings (after expenses) this week... "Your earnings - Employers" pops up with a list of employers.
- If your company has employees, it probably will be on the list and you can select your company.
- But otherwise, select "Other"
- Complete or verify the "employer" info.
- Permanent position? "yes"
- Salary... type in your profit after expenses for the week
- Salary type... not hour, not month, not year... choose "other"
- Ignore the hourly wage that it calculates. It doesn't use that.
- Regular earnings... type in your profit after expenses again.
- ignore the word "gross" whenever you see it. they really mean net after expenses.
- Additional employers with earnings... "No"
- The first time in, you should log in ALL of your retroactive weeks. Don't do a couple of weeks and try to get back in later to finish... one client was kicked out as "inactive" and asked to start over with a new claim.