INFORMATION FOR PENNSYLVANIA EMPLOYEES IMPACTED BY COVID-19

INFORMATION FOR PENNSYLVANIA EMPLOYEES IMPACTED BY COVID-19

If you are employed in Pennsylvania and are unable to work because of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), you may be eligible for Unemployment or Workers' Compensation benefits. The Department of Labor & Industry will continue to provide important employment benefit updates as the situation evolves.

UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION (UC) BENEFITS You may be eligible if:
 • Your employer temporarily closes or goes out of business because of COVID-19
• Your employer reduces your hours because of COVID-19
 • You have been told not to work because your employer feels you might get or spread COVID-19
 • You have been told to quarantine or self-isolate, or live/work in a county under government-recommended mitigation efforts

 Apply:
• Online – WWW.UC.PA.GOV it's the fastest and easiest way to get started Important info:

• If you are eligible for UC, you will receive two letters and a four-digit PIN
• Your PIN will arrive in the U.S. mail – keep it in a safe, easy to remember place
 • If approved, your first benefit payment should arrive within four weeks of filing for UC
 • Continue filing your bi-weekly claim (every two weeks) – even while waiting for approval
• We are experiencing very large call volumes. Please email us at uchelp@pa.gov, or via UC LiveChat.

 • (NEW) The Waiting Week is suspended. Previously, claimants were not eligible for benefits during their first week of unemployment (the "waiting week.") This has been suspended; eligible claimants may receive benefits for the first week that they are unemployed

• (NEW) Work Search and Work Registration requirements are temporarily waived for all UC claimants. Claimants are not required to prove they have applied or searched for a new job to maintain their UC benefits. Claimants are also not required to register with www.PACareerLink.gov.

 • At this time, benefits are not being extended beyond 26 weeks. WORKERS' COMPENSATION (WC) BENEFITS

Two filing options: • If you believe you may have been exposed to COVID-19 in your workplace, you may be eligible for Workers' Compensation (WC) by either:
 • Notifying your employer to file a typical "disease-as-injury" WC claim, which requires you to provide medical evidence that you were exposed to COVID-19 in the workplace
• Notifying your employer to file an "occupational disease" WC claim, which requires you to show that COVID-19 is occurring more in your occupation/industry than in the general population

Claims: • All WC claims (including COVID-19) are thoroughly reviewed, and decisions are made based on the facts and merits of each claim and the law
 • If your COVID-19 claim is denied, you may file a petition with the WC Office of Adjudication
 • Learn more about Workers' Compensation and the Injured Worker You can also access this information as a printable PDF.

 For the most accurate and timely COVID-19 information in Pennsylvania, visit the PA Department of Health website, health.pa.gov  https://www.uc.pa.gov