After six weeks of collecting unemployment, I was offered roughly a 12-week contract through the end of this year. At the end of the contract, the employer and I will decide whether or not there is a fit and whether or not there is the budget to bring me on.
So if at the end of this contract, something does not materialize, can I start collecting benefits again?
That is entirely state dependent. Call the unemployment office for those questions. It is common to be able to start and stop unemployment benefits so that you get paid a standard number of checks but only your PA state unemployment agency can tell you if that applies to you.
I’ve been collecting UI for about 6 weeks now myself. I had my interview with them a few days ago. I told them I’m doing contract work similar to my old day job, and am also running my band promotion business through which I take occasional contract jobs.
They just want me to deduct any earnings I make while collecting UI on the form. I think that they deduct your earnings from the UI for that pay period. If your earnings from the contract job are less than the UI payments, you will get a partial payment. If they are greater than the UI payment, you get no UI payment, but you can continue to fill out the forms and mail them in.
So, I don’t think you have to leave UI - just specify on every form you fill out that this is a contract job only. If it does turn in to a full time job, you can then leave UI. If not, you can continue collecting benefits minus your earnings (except your earnings will be 0 again, so you will get checks again).