Section 753 - DefinitionsThe following words and phrases, as used in this act, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(a)"Base year" means the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters immediately preceding the first day of an individual's benefit year.(b)"Benefit Year" with respect to an individual who files or has filed a "Valid Application for Benefits" means the fifty-two consecutive week period beginning with the day as of which such "Valid Application for Benefits" is filed, and thereafter the fifty-two consecutive week period beginning with the day as of which such individual next files a "Valid Application for Benefits" after the termination of his last preceding benefit year.(c)"Board" means the Unemployment Compensation Board of Review established by this act.(d)"Calendar quarter" means the period of three consecutive calendar months ending on March thirty-first, June thirtieth, September thirtieth or December thirty-first, or the equivalent thereof, as determined in accordance with general rules of the department.(e) Repealed by 1964, Special Sess., June 22, P.L. 112, No. 7, § 1.(f) "Compensation" means : (1) money payments payable to individuals with respect to their unemployment as provided in this act ; and(2) to the extent permitted by law, that part of the principal owed on bonds issued under Article XIV of this act that is attributable to repayment of the principal of advances under Title XII of the Social Security Act (58 Stat. 790, 42 U.S.C. § 1321 et seq.) , exclusive of any interest or administrative costs associated with the bonds.(g)"Contributions" means the money payments required to be paid into the Unemployment Compensation Fund by employers, with respect to employment, which payments shall be used for the creation of financial reserves for the payment of compensation as provided in this act. This meaning includes, where appropriate in the enforcement provisions of this act, payments in lieu of contributions required to be paid by employers operating on a reimbursement basis as provided in Articles X, XI and XII of this act. "Contributions" also means, where appropriate in this act, money payments required to be paid into the Unemployment Compensation Fund by employes as provided in this act. (g.1)"Credit week" means any calendar week in an individual's base year with respect to which he was paid in employment as defined in this act, remuneration of not less than: (1) One hundred dollars ($100). This paragraph shall expire December 31, 2014.(2) Sixteen (16) times the minimum hourly wage required by the act of January 17, 1968 (P.L. 11, No. 5), known as "The Minimum Wage Act of 1968." This paragraph shall take effect January 1, 2015. Only one credit week can be established with respect to any one calendar week.
(h)"Department" means the Department of Labor and Industry of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.(h.1)"Disaster" means a fire, flood or other physical occurrence, beyond the employer's control, caused naturally or accidentally.(i)"Employe" means every individual, whether male, female, citizen, alien or minor, who is performing or subsequent to January first, one thousand nine hundred thirty-six, has performed services for an employer in an employment subject to this act.(j)(1)"Employer" means the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, its political subdivisions, and their instrumentalities and every individual, copartnership, association, corporation (domestic or foreign) or other entity, the legal representative, trustee in bankruptcy, receiver or trustee of any individual, copartnership, association or corporation or other entity, or the legal representative of a deceased person, who or which employed or employs any employe in employment subject to this act for some portion of a day during a calendar year, or who or which has elected to become fully subject to this act, and whose election remains in force.(2) Each individual employed to perform or to assist in performing work of any agent or employe of an employer shall be deemed to be employed by such employer for all the purposes of this act, whether such individual was hired or paid directly by such employer or by such agent or employe, provided the employer had actual or constructive knowledge of the work (except as provided in subsection (l)(3)(G) of this section).(2.1) An individual or entity that transfers some or all of its work force to the payroll of another individual or entity, directly or indirectly, as part of or resulting in an arrangement whereby the individual or entity shares employer functions with respect to some or all of its work force with the other individual or entity shall be the employer of the employe or employes covered by the arrangement with the other individual or entity. This paragraph shall include, without limitation, an arrangement known as a professional employer arrangement or employe leasing arrangement. This paragraph does not include a temporary help arrangement in which an individual or entity utilizes one or more workers supplied by another individual or entity to supplement its work force in special, temporary work situations such as absences, skill shortages, seasonal work loads and special assignments.(3) Where an employer maintains more than one place of employment within this Commonwealth, all of the employes at the several places of employment shall be treated, for the purposes of this act, as if employed by a single employer.(4) Any individual, copartnership, association, corporation or other entity who or which is not subject to this act may elect to become subject thereto by filing with the department his or its written application.(5) An employer subject to this act may elect to include within the term "employment," subject to this act, services performed by his or its employes with respect to which no contributions are required and paid under an unemployment compensation law of any other state, (a) if the employe or employes, included in such election, maintain a domicile within this Commonwealth and the services of such employe or employes, are performed entirely without this Commonwealth, or (b) if the employe or employes included in the election maintains no domicile within this Commonwealth but the services of such employe or employes are (A) performed without this Commonwealth and (B) are directed from this Commonwealth.(6) An employer, subject to this act, may elect to include within the term "employment," subject to this act, services performed by his or its employes which are exempt under the provisions of subsection (l ) of section four of this act.(7) Any election shall be subject to the approval of the department and shall become binding for not less than two calendar years.(8) Any services performed for an employer covered by an election, pursuant to this subsection, shall, during the effective period of such election, be deemed to be employment for all the purposes of this act. Any election approved by the department, pursuant to this subsection, shall cease to be effective only as of the first day of January of any calendar year subsequent to the initial two calendar years thereof, and only if, at least thirty (30) days prior to such first day of January, the employer has filed with the department a notice of termination of his election. Notwithstanding any provisions of this subsection to the contrary, the department may at any time, on its own motion, cancel an election approved under the provisions of this subsection.(k)"Employer's Reserve Account" means the separate account established and maintained by the department for each employer in the manner provided in section three hundred two hereof, including any balance of the reserve account of any other employer whose reserve account may have been transferred to such employer.(l)(1)"Employment" means all personal service performed for remuneration by an individual under any contract of hire, express or implied, written or oral, including service in interstate commerce, and service as an officer of a corporation.(2) The term "Employment" shall include an individual's entire service performed within or both within and without this Commonwealth, if-- (A) The service is localized within this Commonwealth, or(B) The service is not localized in any state but some of the service is performed within this Commonwealth and (a) the base for operations or place from which such service is directed or controlled is in this Commonwealth, or (b) the base for operations or place from which such service is directed or controlled is not in any state in which some part of the service is performed, but the individual's residence is in this Commonwealth. Service shall be deemed to be localized within this Commonwealth if--(a) the service is performed entirely within this Commonwealth, or (b) the service is performed both within and without this Commonwealth, but the service performed without this Commonwealth is incidental to the individual's service within this Commonwealth as for example where it is temporary or transitory in nature or consists of isolated transactions. Services performed without this Commonwealth shall not be included within the term "Employment" if contributions are required and paid with respect to such services under an unemployment compensation law of any other state. Services performed by an individual for wages shall be deemed to be employment subject to this act, unless and until it is shown to the satisfaction of the department that-- (a)such individual has been and will continue to be free from control or direction over the performance of such services both under his contract of service and in fact; and (b) as to such services such individual is customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation, profession or business.
(C) The term "Employment" shall include an individual's services wherever performed within the United States, the Virgin Islands or Canada if--(i) such service is not covered under the unemployment compensation law of any other state, the Virgin Islands or Canada, and (ii) the place from which the service is directed or controlled is in this Commonwealth. (3)"Employment" shall also include-- (A) Services covered by an election pursuant to section 4(j) of this act, and(B) Services covered by an arrangement pursuant to section 312 of this act between the department and the agency of any other state or Federal Unemployment Compensation Law, pursuant to which all services performed by an individual for an employing unit are deemed to be performed entirely within this State, shall be deemed to be employment if the department has approved an election of an employing entity for whom such services are performed, pursuant to which the entire service of such individual during the period covered by such election is deemed to be employment.(C) Notwithstanding any other provisions of section 4(l), an individual's entire service as an officer or member of a crew of an American vessel on or in connection with such vessel, wherever performed, and whether in intrastate or interstate or foreign commerce, if the employer maintains within this State the operating office from which the operations of the American vessel, in respect to which such services are performed, are ordinarily and regularly managed, supervised, directed and controlled.(D) Service of an individual who is a citizen of the United States after December 31, 1971, performed outside the United States (except in Canada and in the case of the Virgin Islands after December 31, 1971, and before January 1 of the year following the year in which the Secretary of Labor approves for the first time an unemployment insurance law submitted to him by the Virgin Islands for approval) in the employ of an American employer (other than service which is deemed "employment" under the provisions of paragraph (2) of this subsection or the parallel provisions of another state's law), if:(a) the employer's principal place of business in the United States is located in this State; or(b) the employer has no place of business in the United States, but (i) the employer is an individual who is a resident of this State; or (ii) the employer is a corporation which is organized under the laws of this State; or (iii) the employer is a partnership or a trust and the number of the partners or trustees who are residents of this State is greater than the number who are residents of any one other state; or(c) none of the criteria of divisions (a) and (b) of this subparagraph is met but the employer has elected coverage in this State, or the employer having failed to elect coverage in any state, the individual has filed a claim for benefits, based on such service, under this act.(d) an "American employer" for purposes of this subparagraph, means a person who is (i) an individual who is a resident of the United States; or (ii) a partnership if two-thirds or more of the partners are residents of the United States; or (iii) a trust, if all of the trustees are residents of the United States; or (iv) a corporation organized under the laws of the United States or of any state.(E) Service by an individual other than one who is an employe under paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection who performs services for remuneration for any person--(a) as an agent-driver or commission-driver engaged in distributing meat products, vegetable products, fruit products, bakery products, beverages (other than milk), or laundry or dry-cleaning services, for his principal;(b) as a traveling or city salesman, other than as an agent-driver or commission-driver, engaged upon a full-time basis in the solicitation on behalf of, and the transmission to, his principal (except for side-line sales activities on behalf of some other person) of orders from wholesalers, retailers, contractors, or operators of hotels, restaurants, or other similar establishments for merchandise for resale or supplies for use in their business operations: Provided, That for the purposes of this subparagraph, the term "employment" shall include services described in (a) and (b) above performed after December 31, 1971 only if:
(i) the contract of service contemplates that substantially all of the services are to be performed personally by such individual; (ii) the individual does not have a substantial investment in facilities used in connection with the performance of the services (other than in facilities for transportation); and (iii) the services are not in the nature of a single transaction that is not part of a continuing relationship with the person for whom the services are performed.(F) Services performed after December 31, 1971 by an individual as defined under the provisions of Articles X, XI and XII of this act except for services excluded from employment pursuant to such articles.(G) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this act, service performed after December 31, 1977, by an individual in agricultural labor as defined in section 4(l)(4)(1) when: (a) Such service is performed for a person who--(1) during any calendar quarter in either the current or the preceding calendar year paid remuneration in cash of twenty thousand dollars or more to individuals employed in agricultural labor (not taking into account service in agricultural labor performed before January 1, 1982, by an alien referred to in section 4(l)(3)(G) (a.1) or 4(l)(2)(G)(a.1)); or(2) for some portion of a day in each of twenty different calendar weeks, whether or not such weeks were consecutive, in either the current or the preceding calendar year, employed in agricultural labor (not taking into account service in agricultural labor performed before January 1, 1982, by an alien referred to in section 4(l)(3)(G)(a.1)) ten or more individuals, regardless of whether they were employed at the same moment of time.(a.1) Such service is not performed in agricultural labor if performed before January 1, 1982, by an individual who is an alien admitted to the United States to perform service in agricultural labor pursuant to sections 214(c) and 101(a)(15)(h) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. (b) For the purposes of this subsection any individual who is a member of a crew furnished by a crew leader to perform service in agricultural labor for any other person shall be treated as an employe of such crew leader--(1) if such crew leader holds a valid certificate of registration under the Farm Labor Contractor Registration Act of 1963; or substantially all the members of such crew operate or maintain tractors, mechanized harvesting or cropdusting equipment, or any other mechanized equipment, which is provided by such crew leader; and(2) if such individual is not an employe of such other person within the meaning of division (a)(1) and (2) above.(c) For the purposes of this subparagraph (G), in the case of any individual who is furnished by a crew leader to perform service in agricultural labor for any other person and who is not treated as an employe of such crew leader-- (1) such other person and not the crew leader shall be treated as the employer of such individual; and(2) such other person shall be treated as having paid cash remuneration to such individual in an amount equal to the amount of cash remuneration paid to such individual by the crew leader (either on his own behalf or on behalf of such other person) for the service in agricultural labor performed for such other person.(d) The term "crew leader" means an individual who--(1) furnishes individuals to perform service in agricultural labor for any other person;(2) pays (either on his own behalf or on behalf of such other person) the individuals so furnished by him for the service in agricultural labor performed by them; and(3) has not entered into a written agreement with the farm operator under which the crew leader is designated as an employe of the farm operator.(H) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this act, domestic service after December 31, 1977, in a private home, local college club or local chapter of a college fraternity or sorority performed for a person who paid cash remuneration of one thousand dollars or more after December 31, 1977, in any calendar quarter in the current calendar year or the preceding calendar year to individuals employed in such domestic service.(4) The word "employment" shall not include-- (1) Agricultural labor which shall include all services performed except those services defined in 4(l)(3)(G)-- (a) On a farm in the employ of any person in connection with cultivating the soil or in connection with raising or harvesting any agricultural or horticultural commodity, including the raising, shearing, feeding, caring for, training and management of livestock, bees, poultry and fur-bearing animals and wildlife.(b) In the employ of the owner or tenant or other operator of a farm in connection with the operation, management, conservation, improvement or maintenance of such farm and its tools and equipment or in salvaging timber or clearing land of brush and other debris left by a hurricane, if the major part of such service is performed on a farm.(c) In connection with the production or harvesting of any commodity defined as an agricultural commodity in section 15(g) of the Agricultural Marketing Act, as amended (46 Stat. 1550, sec. 3: 12 U.S.C.A. 1141j ), or in connection with the ginning of cotton, or in connection with the operation or maintenance of ditches, canals, reservoirs or waterways not owned or operated for profit, used exclusively for supplying and storing water for farming purposes.(d)(1) In the employ of the operator of a farm in handling, planting, drying, packing, packaging, processing, freezing, grading, storing, or delivering to storage or to market or to a carrier for transportation to market in its unmanufactured state, any agricultural or horticultural commodity, but only if such operator produced more than one-half of the commodity with respect to which such service is performed.(2) In the employ of a group of operators of farms (or a cooperative organization of which such operators are members) in the performance of service described in (d)(1) above, but only if such operators produced more than one-half of the commodity with respect to which such service is performed.(3) The provisions of (d)(1) and (d)(2) above shall not be deemed to be applicable with respect to service performed in connection with commercial canning or commercial freezing or in connection with any agricultural or horticultural commodity after its delivery to a terminal market for distribution for consumption.(e) On a farm operated for profit if such service is not in the course of the employer's trade or business.(f) As used in this subparagraph the term "farm" includes stock, dairy, poultry, fruit, fur-bearing animals, and truck farms, plantations, ranches, nurseries, ranges, greenhouses or other similar structures used primarily for the raising of agricultural or horticultural commodities and orchards.(2) Domestic service in a private home, local college club or local chapter of a college fraternity or sorority.(3) Service not in the course of the employer's trade or business performed in any calendar quarter by an employe unless the cash remuneration paid for such service is fifty dollars or more and such service is performed by an individual who is regularly employed by such employer to perform such service. For purposes of this subparagraph, an individual shall be deemed to be regularly employed by an employer during a calendar quarter only if(i) on each of some twenty-four days during such quarter, such individual performs for such employer for some portion of the day service not in the course of the employer's trade or business, or(ii) such individual was regularly employed (as determined under clause (i)) by such employer in the performance of such service during the preceding calendar quarter.(4) Service performed on or in connection with a vessel or aircraft not an American vessel or American aircraft if the employe is employed on or in connection with such vessel or aircraft when outside the United States.(5) Service performed by an individual in the employ of his son, daughter, or spouse, and service performed by a child under the age of eighteen (18) in the employ of his father or mother.(6) Service performed in the employ of the United States Government or of an instrumentality of the United States exempt under the Constitution of the United States from the contributions imposed by this act, except that, to the extent that the Congress of the United States shall permit states to require any instrumentalities of the United States to make payments into an unemployment fund under a state unemployment compensation law, all of the provisions of this act shall be applicable to such instrumentalities in the same manner to the same extent and on the same terms as to all other employers. In the event that this State shall not be certified for any year by the Social Security Board under section three thousand three hundred four (c) of the Federal Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, the payments required of such instrumentalities with respect to such year shall be refunded by the department from the fund in the same manner and within the same period as is provided in section three hundred eleven of this act with respect to contributions erroneously collected.(7) Deleted by 1977, July 6, P.L. 41, No. 22, § 1.(8) For the purposes of Articles X, XI, XIII--(a) Service performed in the employ of (i) a church or convention or association of churches or (ii) an organization which is operated primarily for religious purposes and which is operated, supervised, controlled or principally supported by a church or convention or association of churches; or(b) by a duly ordained, commissioned, or licensed minister of a church in the exercise of his ministry or by a member of a religious order in the exercise of duties required by such order; or(c) Deleted by 1977, July 6, P.L. 41, No. 22, § 1.(d) in a facility conducted for the purpose of carrying out a program of (i) rehabilitation for individuals whose earning capacity is impaired by age or physical or mental deficiency or injury or (ii) providing remunerative work for individuals who because of their impaired physical or mental capacity cannot be readily absorbed in the competitive labor market, by an individual receiving such rehabilitation or remunerative work; or(e) as part of an unemployment work-relief or work-training program assisted or financed in whole or in part by any Federal agency or an agency of a State or political subdivision thereof, by an individual receiving such work relief or work training; or(f) prior to January 1, 1978 for a hospital in a State prison or other State correctional institution by an inmate of the prison or correctional institution and after December 31, 1977, by an inmate of a custodial or penal institution.(9) Service performed after June thirtieth, one thousand nine hundred and thirty-nine, either as an employe, representative, or service performed in the employ of an employer when such employe, representative, or employer is determined to be subject to the Act of Congress known as the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (52 U.S.Stat. 1094) or to an Act of Congress establishing an unemployment compensation system for maritime employes by the agency or agencies empowered to make such determinations.(10)(A) Service performed in any calendar quarter in the employ of an organization exempt from income tax under section 501(a) of the Federal Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, (other than an organization described insection 401(a) of said code) or under section 521 of said code; if the remuneration for such service is less than fifty dollars; or(B) Service performed in the employ of a school, college or university if such service is performed (i) by a student who is enrolled and is regularly attending classes at such school, college or university or (ii) by the spouse of such a student if such spouse is advised at the time such spouse commences to perform such service that (i) the employment of such spouse to perform such service is provided under a program to provide financial assistance to such student by such school, college or university and (ii) such employment will not be covered by any program of unemployment insurance; or(C) Service performed by an individual under the age of twenty-two who is enrolled at a nonprofit or public educational institution which normally maintains a regular faculty and curriculum and normally has a regularly organized body of students in attendance at the place where its educational activities are carried on, as a student in a full-time program, taken for credit at such institution which combines academic instruction with work experience, if such service is an integral part of such program and such institution has so certified to the employer, except that this subparagraph shall not apply to service performed in a program established for or on behalf of an employer or group of employers; or(D) Service performed in the employ of a hospital, if such service is performed by a patient of the hospital as defined in section 4(m.1) of this act.(11) Service performed in the employ of an international organization.(12) Service performed by a nonresident, alien individual for the period he is temporarily present in the United States as a nonimmigrant under subparagraph (F) or (J) of section 101(a)(15) of the Federal Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, and which is performed to carry out the purpose specified in subparagraph (F) or (J), as the case may be.(13) Deleted by 1964, Spec.Sess., June 22, P.L. 112, No. 7, § 3.(14) Service performed in the employ of a foreign government (including service as a consular or other office or employe or a nondiplomatic representative).(15) Service performed in the employ of an instrumentality wholly owned by a foreign government, (i) if the service is of a character similar to that performed in foreign countries by employes of the United States Government or of an instrumentality thereof, and (ii) if the Secretary of State of the United States shall certify to the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States that the foreign government, with respect to whose instrumentality exemption is claimed, grants an equivalent exemption with respect to similar service performed in the foreign country by employes of the United States Government and of instrumentalities thereof.(16) Service performed as a student nurse in the employ of a hospital or a nurses' training school by an individual who is enrolled and is regularly attending classes in a nurses' training school chartered or approved pursuant to the laws of this Commonwealth and services performed as an interne in the employ of a hospital by an individual who has completed a four years' course in a medical school chartered or approved pursuant to the laws of this Commonwealth.(17) Service performed by an individual for an employer as an insurance agent or real estate salesman or as an insurance solicitor or as a real estate broker or as a solicitor of applications for, or salesman of, shares of or certificates issued by an investment company, or as an agent of an investment company, if all such service performed by such individual for such employer is performed for remuneration solely by way of commission, or services performed by an individual as an unsalaried correspondent for a newspaper, who receives no compensation, or compensation only for copy accepted for publication.(18) Service performed by an individual under the age of eighteen in the delivery or distribution of newspapers or shopping news, not including delivery or distribution to any point for subsequent delivery or distribution.(19) Service covered by an arrangement between the department and the agency charged with the administration of any other state or Federal Unemployment Compensation Law, pursuant to which all services performed by an individual for an employing entity during the period covered by such employing unit's duly approved election, are deemed to be performed entirely within such agency's state or under such Federal law.(20) Services performed as a direct seller.(A) The term "direct seller" means any person (i) engaged in the trade or business of selling or soliciting the sale of consumer products to any buyer on a buy-sell basis or a deposit-commission basis, or any similar basis which the United States Secretary of Treasury or his delegate prescribes by regulations for resale by the buyer or any other person in the home or otherwise than in a permanent retail establishment, or (ii) is engaged in the trade or business of selling or soliciting the sale of consumer products in the home or otherwise than in a permanent retail establishment.(B) To be a "direct seller," (i) substantially all the remuneration whether or not paid in cash for the performance of the services described under this definition must be directly related to sales or other output, including the performance of services rather than to the number of hours worked, and (ii) the services performed by the person must be performed pursuant to a written contract between the person and the person for whom the services are performed and the contract provides that the person will not be treated as an employe with respect to the services for Federal tax purposes.(21) Services performed by a full-time student in the employ of an organized camp if: (A) The camp did not operate for more than seven months in the calendar year and did not operate for more than seven months in the preceding calendar year; or had average gross receipts for any six months in the preceding calendar year which were not more than thirty-three and one-third per centum (33 1/3%) of its average gross receipts for the other six months in the preceding calendar year; and(B)The full-time student performs services in the employ of the camp for less than thirteen calendar weeks in any such year.(C) For purposes of this subparagraph, an individual shall be treated as a full-time student for any period during which the individual is enrolled as a full-time student at an educational institution; or which is between academic years or terms if the individual was enrolled as a full-time student at an educational institution for the immediately preceding academic year or term and there is a reasonable assurance that the individual will be so enrolled for the immediately succeeding academic year or term.(D)For purposes of this subparagraph, the term "educational institution" shall mean any educational institution of secondary, higher educational, professional or vocational educational training.(E)For purposes of this subparagraph, the term "camp" shall mean a children's overnight camp or a summer day camp of any variety.(5) If the services performed during one-half or more of any pay period by an employe for the person employing him constitute employment, all the services of such employe for such period shall be deemed to be employment, but, if the services performed during more than one-half of any such pay period by an employe for the person employing him do not constitute employment, then none of the services of such employe for such period shall be deemed to be employment. As used in this paragraph the term "pay period" means a period (of not more than thirty-one consecutive days) for which a payment of remuneration is ordinarily made to the employe by the person employing him. This subsection shall not be applicable with respect to services performed in a pay period by an employe for the person employing him where any of such service is excepted by paragraph (9) of subsection (l)(4) of this section.(6) Notwithstanding any of the other provisions of section 4(l) , services shall be deemed to be in employment, if with respect to such services a tax is required to be paid under any Federal law imposing a tax, against which credit may be taken for contributions required to be paid into a State Unemployment Compensation Fund or which as a condition for full tax credit against the tax imposed by the Federal Unemployment Tax Act are required to be covered under this act.(m)"Employment Office" means a public employment office or branch thereof, operated by the department or by any other state or by the Federal Government under agreement with the department.(m.1)"Hospital" means an institution which has been licensed, certified or approved by the Department of Public Welfare of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a hospital.(m.2)"Institution of higher education" means an educational institution which-- (1) admits as regular students only individuals having a certificate of graduation from a high school or the recognized equivalent of such a certificate;(2) is legally authorized in this Commonwealth to provide a program of education beyond high school;(3) provides an educational program for which it awards a bachelor's or higher degree or provides a program which is acceptable for full credit toward such a degree, a program of post-graduate or post-doctoral studies or a program of training to prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation; and(4) is a public or other nonprofit institution. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing provisions of this subsection, all colleges and universities in this Commonwealth are institutions of higher education for purposes of this act.
(m.3) "Partial Benefit Credit" means that part of the remuneration, if any paid or payable to an individual with respect to a week for which benefits are claimed under the provisions of this act, which is not in excess of thirty per centum (30%) of the individual's weekly benefit rate or six dollars whichever is the greater. Such partial benefit credit if not a multiple of one dollar ($1) shall be computed to the next higher multiple of one dollar ($1).(n)"Referee" means a referee appointed to hear appeals under this act.(o)"Secretary" means the Secretary of Labor and Industry of this Commonwealth, or his duly authorized representative.(p)"Social Security Act" means the act enacted by the Congress of the United States, approved the fourteenth day of August, one thousand nine hundred and thirty-five, entitled "An act to provide for the general welfare by establishing a system of Federal old-age benefits, and by enabling the several States to make more adequate provision for aged persons, blind persons, dependent and crippled children, maternal and child welfare, public health, and the administration of their unemployment compensation laws; to establish a Social Security Board; to raise revenue; and for other purposes," as amended.(q)"Social Security Board" means the Social Security Board established by the Social Security Act or such other agency or agencies of the United States to which the authority of the Social Security Board may be transferred.(r)"State" includes, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia.(s) Repealed by 1964, Special Sess., June 22, P.L. 112, No. 7, § 4.(t)"Suitable Work" means all work which the employe is capable of performing. In determining whether or not any work is suitable for an individual, the department shall consider the degree of risk involved to his health, safety and morals, his physical fitness, prior training and experience, and the distance of the available work from his residence. The department shall also consider among other factors the length of time he has been unemployed and the reasons therefor, the prospect of obtaining local work in his customary occupation, his previous earnings, the prevailing condition of the labor market generally and particularly in his usual trade or occupation, prevailing wage rates in his usual trade or occupation, and the permanency of his residence. However, notwithstanding any other provisions of this subsection no work shall be deemed suitable in which (1) the position offered is vacant, due directly to a strike, lockout, or other labor dispute, or (2) the remuneration, hours or other conditions of the work offered are substantially less favorable to the employe than those prevailing for similar work in the locality, or (3) as a condition of being employed, the employe would be required to join a company union, or to resign from, or refrain from joining, any bona fide labor organization.(u)"Unemployed."-- An individual shall be deemed unemployed (I) with respect to any week (i) during which he performs no services for which remuneration is paid or payable to him and (ii) with respect to which no remuneration is paid or payable to him, or (II) with respect to any week of less than his full-time work if the remuneration paid or payable to him with respect to such week is less than his weekly benefit rate plus his partial benefit credit. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this act, an employe who is unemployed during a plant shutdown for vacation purposes shall not be deemed ineligible for compensation merely be reason of the fact that he or his collective bargaining agents agreed to the vacation.
No employe shall be deemed eligible for compensation during a plant shutdown for vacation who receives directly or indirectly any funds from the employer as vacation allowance.
(v)"Unemployment Trust Fund" means the Unemployment Trust Fund established by the Social Security Act.(w)(1) A "Valid Application for Benefits" means an application for benefits on a form prescribed by the department, which is filed by an individual, as of a day not included in the benefit year previously established by such individual, who (1) has been separated from his work or who during the week commencing on the Sunday previous to such day has worked less than his full time due to lack of work and (2) is qualified under the provisions of section four hundred and one (a), (b) and (d).(2) An application for benefits filed after the termination of a preceding benefit year by an individual shall not be considered a Valid Application for Benefits within the meaning of this subsection, unless such individual has, subsequent to the beginning of such preceding benefit year and prior to the filing of such application, worked and earned wages in "employment" as defined in this act in an amount equal to or in excess of six (6) times his weekly benefit rate in effect during such preceding benefit year.(x) "Wages" means all remuneration, (including the cash value of mediums of payment other than cash, except that only cash wages shall be used to determine the coverage of agricultural labor as defined in section 4(l)(3)(G) and domestic service as defined in section 4(l)(3)(H)), paid by an employer to an individual with respect to his employment except that the term "wages" shall not include:(1) For purposes of paying employer contributions, that part of the remuneration paid to an individual by each of his employers during a calendar year that exceeds eight thousand five hundred dollars ($8,500) for calendar year 2013, eight thousand seven hundred fifty dollars ($8,750) for calendar year 2014, nine thousand dollars ($9,000) for calendar year 2015, nine thousand five hundred dollars ($9,500) for calendar year 2016, nine thousand seven hundred fifty dollars ($9,750) for calendar year 2017 and ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for calendar year 2018 and thereafter: Provided, That an employer may take credit under this subsection for remuneration which his predecessor-in- interest has paid to an individual during the same calendar year with respect to employment; and provided also, that an employer may take credit under this subsection for remuneration which he or his predecessor-in-interest has paid to an individual in the same calendar year on which contributions have been required and paid by such employer under an unemployment compensation law of another state, but no such credit may be taken for remuneration which has been paid by another employer to such individual, whether or not contributions have been paid thereon by such other employer under this act or under any state unemployment compensation law.(2) The amount of any payment made after December thirty-first, one thousand nine hundred fifty, (including any amount paid by an employing unit for insurance or annuities or into a fund to provide for any such payment), to or on behalf of an individual or any of his dependents under a plan or system established by an employer who makes provision generally for individuals performing service for it (or for such individuals generally and their dependents), or for a class or classes of such individuals (or for a class or classes of such individuals and their dependents), on account of (i) retirement, or (ii) sickness or accident disability, or (iii) medical or hospitalization expenses in connection with sickness or accident disability, or (iv) death.(3) The payment by an employer (without deduction from remuneration of the employe) of the tax imposed upon an employe under section three thousand one hundred one of the Federal Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended. (4) Dismissal payments before the first day of January, one thousand nine hundred fifty-two, which the employer is not legally required to make.(5) Payments made by an employer to employes while in the military or naval service of the United States and performing no services for the employer.(6) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this subsection, wages shall include all remuneration for services with respect to which a tax is required to be paid under any Federal law imposing a tax against which credit may be taken for contributions to be paid into a state unemployment fund or which as a condition for full tax credit against the tax imposed by the Federal Unemployment Tax Act are required to be included under this act.(7) The amount of any payment made after December thirty-first, one thousand nine hundred fifty, by an employer to or on behalf of an individual performing services for him, (including any amount paid by an employer for insurance or annuities or into a fund to provide for any such payment), on account of retirement.(8) The amount of any payment on account of sickness or accident disability or medical or hospitalization expenses in connection with sickness or accident disability made after the thirty-first day of December, one thousand nine hundred fifty, by an employer to or on behalf of an individual performing services for it after the expiration of six calendar months following the last calendar month in which the individual performed services for such employer.(9) The amount of any payment made after the thirty-first day of December, one thousand nine hundred fifty, by an employer to or on behalf of an individual performing services for it, or his beneficiary, (i) from or to a trust exempt from tax under section 401(a) of the Federal Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, at the time of such payment, unless such payment is made to an individual performing services for the trust as remuneration for such services and not as a beneficiary of the trust, or (ii) under or to an annuity plan which at the time of such payments is a plan described in section 403(a) of said code or (iii) under or to a bond purchase plan which at the time of such payment is a qualified bond purchase plan described insection 405(a) of said code. (10) Repealed by 1971, Sept. 27, P.L. 468, No. 108, § 8.(11) The amount of any remuneration paid in any medium other than cash to an individual for service not in the course of the employer's trade or business.(y) Repealed by 1964, Special Sess., June 22, P.L. 112, No. 7, § 6.(z)"Week" means any calendar week ending at midnight Saturday, or the equivalent thereof, as determined in accordance with general rules adopted by the department: Provided, however, That for the purposes of computation of the partial benefit credit if the workday of an individual includes parts of two calendar days, all the work performed by such individual during such workdays shall be deemed to have been performed during the day in which the preponderance of the work was performed. If the work performed is equally divided over two calendar days the work shall be deemed to have been performed in the day in which the shift began.(z.1)"American Vessel" means any vessel documented and numbered under the laws of the United States, including any vessel which is neither documented or numbered under the laws of the United States nor documented under the laws of any foreign county, if its crew is employed solely by one or more citizens or residents of the United States or corporations organized under the laws of the United States or of any state and the term "American aircraft" means an aircraft registered under the laws of the United States.(z.2)"Shipping Articles" means "Articles of Agreement" purporting to comply with section five hundred sixty-four of Title forty-six of the United States Code, or any other agreement under which officers or members of the crew are employed on the high seas and under which they are not entitled to a final settlement of wages until the termination of the period of the employment.(z.3)"Computation Date" means June thirtieth of the year preceding the effective date of new rates of contribution, which date shall be January first of the succeeding year.(z.4)"Annual Payroll" means the total amount of "wages", as herein defined, paid by any employer during the twelve consecutive calendar month period ending on June thirtieth of any year, including such wages paid by any other employer appertaining to that balance of the reserve account of such other employer which may have been transferred to such employer.(z.5)"Average Annual Payroll" means the average of the last three consecutive "annual payrolls" of any employer: Provided, That for any employer in Groups 1 and 2 as defined in section 301.1(b) who has not paid wages for three "annual payrolls", the "average annual payroll" means the average of such fewer "annual payrolls".(z.6)"Annual Benefits" means the total amount of benefits charged to an employer's account during the twelve consecutive calendar month period ending on June thirty of any year.(z.7)"Average Annual Benefits" means the average of the last three consecutive "annual benefits" of any employer: Provided, That for any employer in Groups 1 and 2 as defined in section 301.1(b) who has not paid wages for three "annual payrolls", the "average annual benefits" means the average of such fewer "annual benefits".Amended by P.L. TBD 2022 No. 156, § 1, eff. 11/3/2022.Amended by P.L. 577 2012 No. 60, § 1, eff. 1/1/2013.Amended by P.L. 637 2013 No. 75, § 2, eff. 10/23/2013.1936, Second Ex.Sess., Dec. 5, P.L. (1937) 2897, art. I, § 4. Amended 1937, May 18, P.L. 658, No. 175, § 1; 1939, June 20, P.L. 458, No. 261, § 1; 1940, Ex.Sess., May 16, P.L. (1941) 946, No. 9, § 1; 1942, Ex.Sess., April 23, P.L. 60, No. 23, § 1; 1943, May 21, P.L. 271, No. 125, § 1; 1943, May 27, P.L. 717, No. 312, § 1; 1945, May 29, P.L. 1145, No. 408, § 1; 1947, April 2, P.L. 50, No. 18, § 1; 1947, June 10, P.L. 498, No. 227, § 1; 1947, June 10, P.L. 509, No. 229, § 1; 1949, May 23, P.L. 1738, No. 530, § 1; 1949, May 26, P.L. 1854, No. 551, §§ 1, 2; 1951, Sept. 29, P.L. 1580, No. 408, § 1; 1953, Aug. 24, P.L. 1397, No. 396, § 1; 1955, March 30, P.L. 6, No. 5, § 1; 1959, Dec. 17, P.L. 1893, No. 693, § 1; 1961, Sept. 14, P.L. 1301, No. 570, §§ 1, 2; 1964, Spec.Sess., March 24, P.L. 53, No. 1, § 1; 1964, Spec.Sess., June 22, P.L. 112, No. 7, §§ 2, 3, 5, 7; 1971, Sept. 27, P.L. 460, No. 108, §§ 1.1 to 7; 1973, Oct. 12, P.L. 294, No. 88, § 1, imd. effective; 1974, Dec. 5, P.L. 771, No. 262, §§ 1 to 3, imd. effective; 1977, July 6, P.L. 41, No. 22, § 1, effective Jan. 1, 1978; 1978, March 17, P.L. 14, No. 8, § 1; 1980, July 10, P.L. 521, No. 108, §§ 1 to 3, imd. effective; 1983, July 21, P.L. 68, No. 30, §§ 1, 2, imd. effective; 1996, Oct. 30, P.L. 738, No. 133, § 1, effective in 60 days; 1996, Dec. 19, P.L. 1476, No. 189, § 1, imd. effective; 2005, June 15, P.L. 8, No. 5, § 1, effective July 1, 2005; 2011, June 17, P.L. 16, No. 6, § 1, effective Jan. 1, 2013.