Staff per deim nurse unemployment?

[Ldub13]

I am an employee of a hospital that is in talks of closing at the beginning of July. I am technically an employee of the hospital, but I am per deim meaning that I get paid a higher hourly wage without benefits. The reason for this is that during and for 2 years after covid, the hospital paid us as "internal contract" nurses so again, super high wages but no benefits. When these contracts were terminated, we were offered to either go FT/PT staff nurses or per deim. Half the hospital staff left to chase the higher paying contracts whereas the rest of us stayed and about 90% of us are per deim. I still work full time hours and am never shorted on hours due to our staffing being so short that were are offered bonuses to pick up. My question is that since it is highly likely that we will close in July, would I qualify for unemployment? I don't want to leave the hospital just yet because we are all hopeful that either the state will scoop us up or another hospital will absorb us. But the way the company that currently owns us runs, we are all terrified that they will just lock the doors and leave us high and dry like they did to all the other employees in other areas of the hospital that they closed without warning. I know, super long and detailed, but I could not find any other posts anywhere that were close to my/our predicament. Everything else was related to travel nurses that were per deim or PRN and were contracted by agencies. If anyone has any thought or suggestions, other than to run for our lives, I would love to hear! Thank you! 

Signed, 

A super sad critical care nurse and her crew

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

You are eligible for unemployment if employer closes hospital as through no fault of your own.   Unemployment compensation will depend on your weekly earnings before being laid off and the maximum unemployment benefits paid in your state as not federally run: each state manages  their program. PA looks at previous 18 months wages.

See Calculate Your Unemployment Benefits for rough estimate.

Unemployment benefits

Select your state on this map to learn how to file for unemployment.

In my PA state, one can file online or via phone, benefits paid weekly into banking account you designate or debit card and one is required to provide proof of weekly job searches.

PA Unemployment Compensation Handbook.

Local healthsystem in my county already closed 2 hospitals abruptly, 2 failed suiters and is mandated to be sold by PA state now. All because a for-profit out of state Prospect Medical Holdings sold most of its hospital land and land to a real estate firm in 2019, leaving it with $1.3 billion in lease obligations.  So can understand your concern and desire to hold on as these nurses are doing providing necessary nursing care.