UC Amnesty Program Update

Pennsylvania’s Department of Labor, Office of Unemployment Compensation has established an Amnesty Program that permits claimants to repay delinquent fault and nonfault overpayments at a reduced rate. You may be eligible for this program if you have an outstanding overpayment of unemployment compensation benefits on file with the Office of Unemployment Compensation.

“UC Amnesty Program Update” blog post photo.

With respect to fault overpayments, qualified claimants may get one-half of unpaid interest and one-half of assessed penalty weeks forgiven. With respect to nonfault overpayments, qualified claimants may get one-half of their balance forgiven.

Claimants should be aware of the time limits associated with the Amnesty Program. The Program runs from July 1, 2017 through September 30, 2017 and is not set to return next year; rather, the Unemployment Compensation Office has described it as a one-time opportunity. Additionally, the Program applies only to overpayments established on or before December 31, 2016.

To take advantage of the Amnesty Program, a claimant must file a Claimant Amnesty Form with the Office of Unemployment Compensation by September 30, 2017. Claimants who do not participate in the Program may be required to repay the full amount of their delinquent overpayment, or have future unemployment compensation benefits reduced.

While this blog post is geared towards the Amnesty Program’s benefits for claimants, employers can also take advantage of the Program to repay delinquent tax contributions and benefit charge reimbursements that became due in 2016.

If you have questions about the Amnesty Program and need assistance with preparing the necessary paperwork to request amnesty, please call Willig, Williams & Davidson at (215)-656-3600 to speak with an unemployment compensation attorney.