A new Unemployment Compensation system will be launched in Pennsylvania in June 2021. The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) states that the new system is easy-to-use and designed to simplify and speed up the claims process.

Claimants will now have access to more information and new self-serve options that will reduce the need to contact the UC customer service center. The new system will make sure people will get the benefits they need while also reducing the opportunity for fraud.

Programs that will transition to the new system are: 

• Unemployment Compensation (UC)
• Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)
• Extended Benefits (EB)
• Shared Work or Short-Time Compensation (STC)
• Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA)

Individuals currently filing for benefits through one of the above-listed programs will use the new UC system to file their weekly or biweekly claims.

Other actions available in the new system include:

• Filing a new claim
• Accessing information about a claim
• Filing an appeal
• Checking the status of a payment
• Receiving messages from UC program staff
• Changing options such as whether communication is sent electronically or by physical mail, and whether federal income tax is withheld.

For the transition to the new system L&I will be presenting instructional workshops covering topics such as: 

• How to Login
• Payment Information
• Status Updates
• Appeals
• Fact-Finding
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and more!

Workshops will be held in English and Spanish. General questions can be submitted online using the UC Workshop Question Submission Form. 

An initial schedule of workshops has been released and include: 

Additonal Information on the new system can be found at https://www.uc.pa.gov/unemployment-benefits/UCBenMod/Pages/default.aspx.