Employees who are unable to work due to COVID-19 are strongly encouraged to work with their employers to first exhaust any paid leave that is available. Your employees may be eligible for paid sick leave or expanded Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) as provided by the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Learn more from the US Department of Labor, which administers both programs.

Paid leave is typically available immediately and pays the employee at a higher rate than UC, which may take two to four weeks to receive and may replace only 50 to 70% of typical pay. 

Employees who do not have access to paid leave, or have exhausted their paid leave, may be eligible for UC.

​No, contributory businesses who are temporarily closed due to COVID-19 will be granted Relief From Charges, and your tax rate will not be increased because of COVID-19-related claims.

Your employees should first use paid sick leave or paid time off, and they may be eligible for new paid sick leave and expanded Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) as provided by the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act which is administered by the US Department of Labor. Find out more about the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act here.

If they are not receiving paid time off, they may be eligible for UC benefits.

Your employees should first use paid sick leave or paid time off, and they may be eligible for new paid sick leave and expanded Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) as provided by the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act which is administered by the US Department of Labor. Find out more about the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act here.

If they are not receiving paid time off, they may be eligible for UC benefits.

​Yes.

Your employees should first use paid sick leave or paid time off, and they may be eligible for new paid sick leave and expanded Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) as provided by the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act which is administered by the US Department of Labor. Find out more about the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act here.

If they are not receiving paid time off, they may be eligible for UC benefits.

​The Shared-Work program can help keep employees attached to your workplace by allowing an employer to temporarily reduce work hours rather than resorting to layoffs. You can reach the Shared-Work team at sharedwork@pa.gov.

However, if you are a business that has had to close either temporarily, consider layoffs, or is financially at-risk for permanent closure the Rapid Response Assistance Program is available to assist you with a variety of services and resources to help you and your employees. You can reach the Rapid Response team via email at RA-LI-BWPO-Rapid@pa.gov.

Additional resources for businesses are available through the PA Department of Community and Economic Development.

​No. However, you may qualify for a small business loan through the PA Department of Community and Economic Development, or for other programs available through the Small Business Administration.

​Yes, if your employees are temporarily laid off due to a business downturn or closure as a result of COVID-19, they may be eligible for UC benefits.

If you are experiencing a business downturn, you can use L&I's Shared-Work program to avoid employee lay-offs. Additional resources for businesses are available through the PA Department of Community and Economic Development.

However, if you are a business that has had to close either temporarily, consider layoffs, or is financially at-risk for permanent closure the Rapid Response Assistance Program is available to assist you with a variety of services and resources to help you and your employees.