Pennsylvania’s Shared-Work Program Keeps You Working

Shared-Work allows your employer to keep you employed during a slowdown while providing you significantly more Unemployment Compensation (UC) benefits compared to if your hours were reduced and you applied for partial UC benefits.

Your employer will reduce the hours which you work during a week while dividing the remaining work among all the employees. You will receive a percentage of your UC benefits while you work the reduced hours. Meanwhile, you will keep any health insurance and other supplemental benefits that were in place before your hours are reduced.

Benefits of participating in a Shared-Work plan:

• Retain your job
• Maintain a higher income than with partial UC benefits alone
• Retain your health insurance and retirement benefits
• Maintain your employment skills
• Continue building job tenure and be available for advancement opportunities

Requirements to participate in Shared-Work:

• You have been employed in the affected unit for at least three (3) months
  
• You are financially eligible for UC
  
• You work less than 40 hours a week under the approved percentage reduction.
  

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Benefit Payments through Shared-Work

You may use the following calculator to compare how Shared-Work is beneficial to your employees.

You will need:

• The employees' gross hourly wage.
• The employees' weekly average work hours.
• Your estimate of hours per week that the employee will work during the Shared-Work period.

Note: This calculator is to provide a rough estimate only. Results will vary based on the actual Weekly Benefit Rate determined for the employee by PA UC.

Enter these items:

Here are estimates based on the information that you have provided:

To make a more accurate determination of your employees' Weekly Benefit Rate you may view the comprehensive information provided on the Financial Eligibility page. Other deductions may apply.

If the Shared-Work plan ends, but your hours remain reduced, you may apply for regular unemployment benefits.

Shared-Work Comparison to Regular UC

Learn more in our Employee Frequently Asked Questions.