State urges those laid off from pandemic closures to apply for unemployment, business aid

With 1 million jobless claims filed in the past two and a half weeks, employees at the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry have been scrambling to respond to a record-high number of requests for immediate financial aid during the pandemic-spurred shutdown.

Most labor department employees are working from home.

The state has asked some former workers to come back from retirement to assist, and reassigned employees to take calls and emails from jobless residents wondering what financial help is available for them — and how soon the checks will arrive.

In most cases, state-issued unemployment compensation checks will arrive in two to four weeks, Pennsylvania Labor Secretary Jerry Oleksiak said Thursday night.

Despite a growing backlog, the state system generally still is working and processing claims as they come in.

Officials encourage anyone seeking unemployment benefits to apply online if they are able. The department has brought on more interviewers, with plans to hire more to help fill mounting needs.

“We’re doing everything we can to continue to expand our capabilities … and we’re going to keep at it,” Oleksiak reassured constituents on a “telephone town hall” hosted by U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Forest Hills.

Payments will be retroactive to the date of lost income eligible for the benefits, Oleksiak said.

“There may be a delay,” Olekisak said, “but you will get all the benefits you are eligible for.”

For the first time, self-employed workers and independent contractors also will be eligible for state unemployment compensation because of coronavirus-related income loss — but some details remain unclear. Those workers may have to wait in pending guidance from the IRS.

Information for self-employed workers will be available next week, officials said.

Both Doyle and Oleksiak urged anyone else who has lost their job or had their pay cut significantly because of the shutdown to apply immediately, even if they have doubts about their specific circumstances.

State claims processors will help figure out any lingering issues and contact individuals as needed, Oleksiak said.

“If you don’t apply, you can’t get a benefit,” Doyle said. “So I would recommend you apply.”

Also on the conference call open to the public was Kelly Hunt, district director of the Small Business Administration’s Pittsburgh District.

She urged private for-profit as well as nonprofit businesses with fewer than 500 employees to check out newly available options related to relief during the pandemic. Among them are low-interest loans — and even forgivable loans and grants. Disbursement could take two to three weeks.

Economic Injury Disaster Loans, or EIDL, of up to $2 million each will charge a 3.75% interest rate to for-profit companies and a 2.75% interest rate to nonprofits.

Landlords are among those who can apply for such assistance for lost rent.

Through the Payment Protection program, businesses can borrow up to 2.5 times their average monthly payroll, up to $10 million. So long as they spend the money on payroll, rent, utilities and retain or bring back laid-off employees for at least eight weeks, the loans can be forgiven.

Small businesses can get more information about grants and loans at SBA.gov/coronavirus.