Requirements for applying for the unemployment benefits in Pennsylvania This article will guide you on how to apply for unemployment PA; this will help you claim the benefits as given out by the state of Pennsylvania' s unemployment office. First of all you need to apply for unemployment benefits as soon as you get terminated from your job. The whole application process will take about 1 to 3 weeks, if you put off applying for the benefits you would not be able to claim the benefits that were supposed to be due to you in the previous weeks you delayed your application. There are also a couple of requirements that you need to fulfill, even if you only partially fulfill these requirements you should still try and file your application. As long as you will be able to reasonably justify your need for claiming unemployment benefits the state offices will do their best to process your claims.

Here are the requirements in order to apply for unemployment PA:

1. You need to have lost your job through no means of your making. That means you should not have quit your job on your own, you need to get terminated. There are exceptions though, like when you are subjected to hazardous working environments, if this is the case then you are still eligible.
2. You need to be willing and able to work again. If you have any disabilities that will cause you to become unable to work then you are not qualified.
3. You need to have been employed for the minimum amount of weeks as specified by the State, in the case of Pennsylvania that will be 16 weeks, and your employer needs to have paid for unemployment taxes in your behalf.
4. Aside from the weeks that you have worked for, you need to have earned the minimum amount of wages. In the base number of 16 weeks you should have earned at least $50 in wages.
5. You also need to be an employee and not an independent contractor. An independent contractor is a person who has no direct employer, self - employed, a person who can work for rival companies without any repercussions, has no fixed rates, etc.

If you happen to fill all of the requirements then you will be able to apply for unemployment PA. You can process your application online through the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, or you can call their toll-free number.