Presbyterian SeniorCare v. Unemployment Compensation Board of Review

**What Happened** Presbyterian SeniorCare workers went on strike, and after the strike began, the company locked out employees. The workers applied for unemployment benefits, arguing that when the company locked them out, they were no longer striking voluntarily and should qualify for benefits. The union claimed they had offered to return to work under their original contract terms, which would have ended the strike and made the lockout the company's decision. **What the Court Decided** The Pennsylvania court sided with Presbyterian SeniorCare. The court found that the union never properly demonstrated they had offered to return to work under the existing contract terms. Because of this, the court ruled the situation remained a strike rather than a company lockout, and the workers stayed ineligible for unemployment benefits. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling shows that striking workers generally cannot collect unemployment benefits, even if their employer later locks them out. For workers to potentially qualify for benefits during a labor dispute, their union must clearly prove they offered to return to work under the original contract terms. Workers should understand that going on strike typically means forgoing unemployment compensation during the dispute.