Appealing a UC Board of Review Decision to the Commonwealth Court

If a party disagrees with the UC Board of Review’s decision, the party has the right to file an appeal to the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. An appeal to the Commonwealth Court may be filed within 30 days of the decision date of the Board’s decision. The UC Board of Review has nothing to do with the filing or processing of further appeals to the Court, nor does it represent either the claimant or the employer before the Court.

Petitions for review may be filed electronically, in person, or by mail. Filing fees are waived for UC claimants. 

If mailing, an appeal to Commonwealth Court is filed when it is received by the Court.  Therefore, you may wish to purchase a U.S. Postal Service Certificate of Mailing (Form 3817), Certified mail (Form 3800), or Registered Mail (Form 3806) for proof of mailing. You may obtain the forms at the post office or on the USPS website, but a USPS employee must complete the forms at the post office.

You may file your Petition for Review electronically via the PACFile appellate court electronic filing system. For information about using the PACFile system, visit the Pennsylvania Courts Web Portal at https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/PACFile/Overview or contact the PACFile Help Desk at 717-795-2097.

The Commonwealth Court provides instructions and a petition for review form on its webpage that can be used to appeal an adverse Board decision to the Commonwealth Court. The webpage can be found at: https://www.pacourts.us/petition-for-review-forms-and-instructions-for-self-represented-parties.

Prior to filing a petition for review with the Commonwealth Court, a party may wish to consult an attorney. If a claimant qualifies, free legal assistance may be available from local legal services organizations, local bar associations or law school clinics.

COMPLETE AND MAIL YOUR POSTAL FORM AND PETITION TO:

Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Judicial Center
601 Commonwealth Avenue, Suite 2100
P.O. Box 69185
Harrisburg, PA 17106-9185

Also

Mail a Copy of the Petition by Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested to:

Mail a copy of the Petition by First-Class Mail to:

If Claimant Appealing to Court: To the Employer

or

If Employer Appealing to Court: To the Claimant

If you have any questions regarding the filing of a petition for review with the Commonwealth Court, you may call: 717-255-1650​​

A party aggrieved by a Board decision may submit a request to the Board to reconsider the decision. The request must be submitted no later than 15 days after the Board’s decision date. Reconsideration will be granted only under very limited circumstances, for “good cause.” The Board cannot change credibility determinations upon reconsideration. Also, the Board will not accept additional evidence unless the party could not have presented the evidence at an earlier stage.

The submission of a request for reconsideration to the Board does not extend the time limit for filing a petition for review with Commonwealth Court.

The information provided on this site does not constitute legal advice or a determination of eligibility to receive unemployment compensation.