Pennsylvania to date distributes nearly $25B in unemployment claims

Pennsylvania has distributed nearly $25 billion in unemployment compensation as of this week, state officials said Thursday.

However, the week ending July 25, however, will mark the final claim week for additional $600 payments through the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program.

“Unless further action comes from Congress and the federal government to extend additional unemployment assistance or make an additional stimulus payment, people in Pennsylvania and across the country may soon find themselves in increasingly uncertain circumstances. In the absence of this, the Wolf administration will do what we can to help people experiencing hard times,” said Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller.

Pennsylvania Labor & Industry Secretary Jerry Oleksiak, who hosted a town-hall conference call Thursday, assured residents that there are state programs available to help out, including Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program and others.

“DHS has also received approval to administer certain benefits created especially in response to the pandemic,” Oleksiak said.

For residents whose unemployment benefits were exhausted on or after July 6, 2019, there is also the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, or PEUC, which provides another 13 weeks of benefits to qualified individuals. Once those benefits expire, the state is offering additional extended benefits.

During a question-and-answer session, Oleksiak and Susan Dickinson, director of Pennsylvania’s Unemployment Compensation Benefits Policy, heard from several residents who are frustrated with the way the state system functions or who have filed several times but have yet to receive any unemployment compensation.

“Know that we are doing all we can as quickly as we can to make sure that those who are entitled to those benefits are receiving them,” Oleksiak said.

Pennsylvanians who have experienced a change in income or job loss, regardless of its relation to the covid-19 pandemic, can apply for benefits online at any time at COMPASS.state.pa.us. Those who prefer to submit paper documentation can mail to their local County Assistance Office.

For more, see UC.pa.gov or call the statewide customer service center at 877-395-8930.