The more than 500,000 Pennsylvanians receiving payments through the expiring federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation programs are strongly encouraged to seek other forms of assistance. Congressional legislation to extend these programs has been delayed in Washington, D.C. Under the current CARES Act, both programs will stop at the end of the month and Pennsylvania claimants will not receive payments after the week ending Dec. 26.
“Pennsylvanians receiving PUA or PEUC payments need to be aware that they will not be able to file a claim next week and should begin preparing now to seek the necessities they will need through other means,” said Department of Labor & Industry Acting Secretary Jennifer Berrier. “I urge current PUA and PEUC claimants to apply for additional assistance through programs outside of L&I as soon as possible to prevent their families from reaching an emergency or dangerous situation.”
The U.S. Department of Labor cannot issue guidance for the PUA and PEUC program extensions and required changes to the programs in the CARES Act Extension legislation until the bill is signed into law. Because states cannot begin implementing the programs and provisions in the new law until receiving US DOL’s guidance, PUA and PEUC claimants will experience several weeks between the time the program extension is signed into legislation and payments resume.
L&I encourages PUA and PEUC claimants to review the following resources for eligibility and apply immediately if they qualify:
– Health insurance through Pennie
– Lifeline (telecommunications and broadband access)
– Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
– Medicaid/Medical Assistance
– Meals for Senior Citizens/Meals on Wheels
– PA food banks and pantries
– SNAP benefits/food stamps
– Additional program information is available at PA COMPASS
PUA and PEUC claimants can also use the United Way of Pennsylvania’s 211 program to identify local resources, including food banks, housing assistance and utility help. Claimants can review available programs in their ZIP code by visiting pa211.org, by texting their ZIP code to 898-211 or by calling 211 any time.
