A friend of mine is doing a student internship for a government agency for 6 months. It is temporary employment. Will she qualify for unemployment after the internship?

thank you

Not unless she has some additional work history in the base period beyond this. 6 months will not be enough to satisfy the work requirement.

How long is the base period? Her last job (in the same background) was in june 2007 thru dec 2007 and then was laid off but didn't get unemployment because it was with a temp agency.

thank you for your response

It's 15 months (5 quarters) with the quarter immediately prior to the file date not counting.

So if her last job was in 2007, she's not going to have enough credits in the base period.

She can certainly apply but unless something changes between now and then, I wouldn't expect her to be approved.

What if she was in school during the required quarters?

Thanks

What matters is whether she had five quarters of employment. While being in school is a much more productive way to spend one's time than a lot of other things I can think of, it doesn't county as employment for unemployment purposes.

Here is the employment history, maybe this would help. She is a college student so were not working with long stretches of employment.



March 2006 - March 2007 Employed
June 2007 - Dec 2007 Employed
April 09 - Oct 09 Federal work-study internship (paid) Employed

thank you

It is extremely unlikely that she will qualify for unemployment. In fact, I think it's safe to say that she won't.

I think it's safe to say that, too.

OK thank you for your time

One more question about eligibility; you have to work 5 solid quarters of employment to qualify? Or you get more if you made more during those 5 quarters? I heard a recording from PA Unemployment and how I understood it was that you had to work for 15 credit weeks during those quarters and make at least $50.00 every week.

If anyone can clarify or confirm

Thank you

There is a minimum as explained on the recording. If those minimums are not met, then the worker is not financially eligible.

Once the minimum is met for eligibility, then the actual amount earned in each quarter and in total is used to determine the amount received. It's the first four of the last five completed quarters that is considered. So, a new claim filed today would look at calendar year 2008.

4. How can I estimate my weekly benefit rate for unemployment compensation?

To estimate your weekly benefit rate, go to Calculating the Weekly Benefit Rate, then select "next" for the Rate and Amount of Benefits Table .

http://www.dli.state.pa.us/landi/cwp/view.asp?a=358&Q=237289#4

OK I understand now. thanks. In 2008 she was unemployed which wouldn't give her the required work credits.

I don't understand why they don't count the latest quarter?

They don't count the current quarter because it obviously is in progress. I would imagine they don't count the most recent previous quarter is that the quarterly wage reports aren't due from the employer until the end of the month following the end of the quarter; then the state has to post the data. For example, 1st quarter 2009 wage reports were due 4/30. By the time the state gets the employee detail posted (if not done uploaded electronically by the employer), it could be 2-3 weeks before the data would be up-to-date. So, any wage claim that was filed from April 1 through about mid-May or so would not be complete.

In my state you can request that they count the most recent quarter as an "alternate benefit year" but of course if you do that and you need a second claim, that time will have already been counted and you can't use it again. So in asking for an alternate benefit year, you need to be very sure that you won't need the time later.