Is Your Business Issuing Required Unemployment Notices

As a result of recent amendments to Pennsylvania’s Unemployment Compensation Law (the “UC Law”), employers must notify employees about unemployment compensation benefits upon their separation from employment. This obligation exists whether the employee voluntarily separated from the employer, was furloughed, or terminated. It also exists when the employee’s hours have been reduced.

In particular, employers must notify a separating Pennsylvania employee of:

  • The availability of unemployment compensation benefits to eligible workers who meet the requirements of the UC Law;

  • The ability to file an unemployment claim in the first week that he/she is separated from employment or his/her hours are reduced;

  • The availability of assistance or information about UC on the state Department of Labor & Industry Office of Unemployment Compensation’s website or toll-free number (888-313-7284); and

  • The necessity of the following information to file a UC claim: (a) the employee’s full legal name, (b) the employee’s Social Security Number; and (c) the employee’s authorization to work in the United States (if not a citizen or resident).

In an effort to help employers meet these obligations, L&I has issued Form UC-1609, which must be provided to each employee when he/she has separated from employment or has his/her hours reduced. Although the UC Law does not require employers to provide the checklist L&I has issued to aid individuals filing for unemployment, it may be helpful to do so.

Importantly, employers must remember that, although these and other revisions to the UC Law were passed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are no sunset provisions for the notice requirements. In other words, employers must abide by the notice requirements even after the pandemic subsides. For questions about UC or any other labor and employment topic, please do not hesitate to contact the attorneys at Hoffman & Hlavac. To stay on top of the latest labor and employment developments that affect your workplace, please subscribe to our blog and follow us on social media.

George Hlavac