For those who have exhausted their unemployment benefits any time after July 2019, an extension is coming your way around mid-May, according to Susan Dickinson, policy director for Pennsylvania’s unemployment office.
“Everybody who is potentially eligible will receive some notification from us, whether that be an email or mailing,” she said.
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For people whose benefits ended after April 4: “We’re looking to have a lot of those individuals — the 13 weeks — added automatically, but there are some cases where people may have to apply,” like those who had their unemployment end months ago.
Self-employed workers and contractors will be able to file their bi-weekly claims within days.
People who have filed for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, or PUA, will not need a PIN to file weekly claims, which is set to begin this week.
“That is when that financial determination piece will occur and everyone will receive their financial determinations to explain how much it is that they will be receiving,” said Dickinson.
Self-employed workers and contractors will use a dashboard to file each week and will be paid a few days later. The extra $600 will come later.
She said they are still working out a few kinks.
“There are some people having log-in issues, and they will be resolved before we go fully live with the system,” she noted.
If you don’t have wage records or payment contracts, the default amount is $195, set by the feds.
The office now has 900 staff workers helping to process claimants, answer emails and phone lines — as well as 70 retirees who have come back to assist.
For anyone who is in a dire situation now, Department of Labor and Industry officials point to the governor’s COVID-19 website for information on food availability and more financial help.
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