Pennsylvanians can ask questions directly to unemployment compensation experts during the Department of Labor & Industry’s ninth live virtual town hall on Thursday, July 23, from 1 to 2 p.m. The event will feature information about regular unemployment compensation and other new COVID-19-related benefits programs, including the end of the $600 federal weekly benefit.
A livestream will be online at access.live/PAlabor. Those without internet access can listen by calling 1-833-380-0719, however access is limited so this should be reserved for individuals who need it.
Participants can ask questions live during the town hall. To protect participants’ personal confidential information, specific questions about individual claims cannot be answered during the town hall.
Pennsylvania has implemented all of the new programs under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act:
– Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) – for self-employed, gig workers, contractors and others not normally eligible for UC
– Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) – additional 13 weeks of benefits to people who exhaust their regular UC
– Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) – extra $600 per week for anyone receiving unemployment benefits
The federal government created and funds the $600 weekly FPUC payment and will be ending these payments. Under federal requirement, the claim week ending July 25 will be the last $600 FPUC payment claimants will receive.
Recordings of prior public town halls are available here. Additional unemployment benefits information is available here.
