"Auto Dialer Expert app (also suggested by the Facebook group), made 185 calls on 1/28 until I finally got a live agent on the phone. Whoever is in charge of this circus should be fired and have to sign up for unemployment, one person wrote on Facebook. Unemployment Compensation is a state program that provides up to 26 weeks of payments to eligible claimants who are able and available to work but have lost their jobs for qualifying reasons. Follow the same process as before to log onto your dashboard and claim the additional weeks, which will be added to your account.You must file by January 29. Sign up for daily emails with local updates and other important news. You should file your UC application for benefits using one of the following methods: Online - An online application can be filed using our secure website 7 days a week, 24 hours. There is just more potential for issues and different things to arise. In 2008 when the banks fucked over the economy (greed) the unemployed got a minimum of 99 weeks of benefits. Moreover, an additional twelve states took three weeks or more to start up the payment of PUA, and fifteen states needed three weeks or more to reup PEUC. 15 Best Amazon Clothing Brands Including Closet Staples and Statement Pieces, Memorial Day Sales 2023: The Best Early Memorial Day Deals You Can Shop Now, 45 Best Wedding Gifts That Are Way More Unique Than a Blender, 25 Trendy Amazon Spring Fashion Finds You'll Want in Your Closet ASAP. REPORTER: EWING'S STORY IS LIKE SO MANY OTHERS WHO RELY ON BENEFITS RIGHT NOW. BUT THEY SAY THEY ARE NOW ISSUING PAYMENTS. L&I apologizes for the inconvenience caused by the delayed payment and has worked to prevent the issue from recurring. L&I has made approximately $6.6 billion in UC payments since March 15 (the start of the pandemic). The delay comes after recommendations from state lawmakers, stakeholders and the U.S. Department of Labor about the potential for disruptions in unemployment compensation payments that millions in the state are relying on during the pandemic. PUA claimants that have filed for the first time in 2021 will be receiving ID Me emails beginning this week and will need to verify their identities before they can proceed. We have no billionaire owner or shareholders to consider. Especially in tighter economic times, people should not be forced to choose between the essentials, and essential news. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The phone outage was unrelated to the new unemployment system and affected several state agencies, according to the department. Amanda Ewing, of Finleyville, said she hasn't received her unemployment check in nearly three weeks and can't get anyone on the phone to give her a reason. The federal government did not complete the extension until Dec. 27, and L&I has been delayed in restarting payments for the three federal programs by the federal Department of Labor, which did not issue all of the guidance needed to ensure states are following the federal law when making payments for the federal programs until Jan. 11. GSI did not respond to questions Tuesday, but a spokesperson, Michelle Griffith, previously praised the companys work in other states and readiness to launch the new system in Pennsylvania. >> IT'S HARD. For more information, please see our L&I has prioritized restarting payments for these programs and is announcing the dates for claimants to begin filing again as soon as necessary reprogramming is complete. The program is unaffected by the federal coronavirus relief bill.A small percentage of the claimants who filed for UC on Jan. 1 were affected by a glitch that caused them to not receive their payment on time. After Pennsylvania officials implemented anti-fraud security measures including withholding payment on new PUA claims, the numbers returned to their 5,000 daily average, officials said. But that's what I did" After a month of not receiving unemployment checks, this woman says she only got paid after downloading an app that called the office over a 100 times 'til she got through. That was really bad too and I was nonstop for a week answering messages.. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. PEUC provides UC claimants with a 13-week extension on their claim, with an additional 11 weeks added through the coronavirus relief bill extension, bringing the total to 24 weeks. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, there are several reasons for the delay, depending on the situation. L&I has made approximately $230.6 million in EB payments since March 15. The Century Foundation who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. These two programs expired just before the end of December before President Trump. Pfitzenmeyer Swangler said the new problems will only add to the backlog. She received normal unemployment benefits through the end of the year, but then experienced a delay in payments in 2021. This is money that these workers and their families needed to pay rent, put food on the table, stay out of poverty, and keep Americas economy running while they looked for work. Pennsylvania officials respond to delay in unemployment benefits, ANSWERS? PALawHelp.org is a project of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network and the Legal Services Corporation. The Century Foundation. A small percentage of users also had problems logging in or changing their payment type. You will be able to file for the weeks of January 2; 9; 16; and 23. FPUC provides an additional $300 to claimants each week they receive at least $1 in benefits from the UC, EB, PEUC or PUA programs. Privacy Policy. Her computer screen went blank when she tried to confirm she wasnt a robot. On Tuesday, WGAL spoke to people trying to file and Department of Labor officials about what they're doing. You will automatically receive the extra $300 weekly Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) you do not need to take any action to get this boost. Roughly six dozen people had messaged her for help as of 2 p.m. while she simultaneously tried to answer questions posted on online message boards. THE ADDED STRESS. - Unresolved: The L&I office said it is still working on 3 outstanding PEUC issues: 1) PEUC claimants who exhausted their weeks on December 26 and were placed on Pennsylvania's extended benefits program. While people would not be paid right away, they will be able to certify and get paid for all weeks they are unemployed,. "Ewing said she is not optimistic, but she is determined. PUA beneficiaries approved for payment before Sept. 17 also are not impacted. Put simply, a retroactive check in February cant be used to put food on the table in January. YOU WILL BE ABLE TO FILE FOR JANUARY 2, JANUARY 9, JANUARY 16, AND JANUARY 23. Example video title will go here for this video, Ready, Set, Grow | Early Spring Planting Tips. Simon-Mishel said those who can afford to wait should give the state a few days to fix glitches and log in then. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. PA Department of Labor & Industry on Twitter: " 3/23/21 PUA & PEUC payment delay updates: PEUC claimants who filed 3/21 + 3/22 should expect payment delays. I sent another one on 1/28 and haven't heard back yet," said Willis. She noted that workers can file claims by telephone again starting Thursday if they are still having trouble. L&I rectified the issue and reissued the payments to claimants a few days later. Another 109,000 are PEUC claimants. AND NOT -- WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT RECEIVING OUR MONEY. Listen to Willis tell her story in her own words: Pennsylvania's Department of Labor & Industry worked to provide answers Monday for plenty of frustrated people trying to get the money they're owed, PEMA and NWS urge Pennsylvanians to get prepped for severe weather season during Severe Weather Awareness Week, Easy one-pot mushroom and pea pasta | Seasonal Servings. That story is here. Custody Proceedings - Representing Yourself, Divorce Proceedings - Representing Yourself, Get the latest news items of interest to the legal aid community and it's clients on PALegalAid.Net, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), Waiver Request - http://philalegal.org/waiver, Waiver of Benefit Overpayment - PUA, PEUC or FPUC. This payment is on top of the other program's payment. "Claimants who have questions about their enrollment in PUA should email ucpua@pa.gov. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WTAE-TV. "Important PUA program extension information for claimants follows. The Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits delay has already impacted at least an estimated 40,000 individuals who have filed claims through the special federal pandemic-related unemployment program, according to the Department of Labor and Industry. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Youve been reading our work. THESE PEOPLE ARE USUALLY GIG WORKERS, FREELANCERS, OR SELF-EMPLOYED. The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry said direct deposit and debit card payments may be delayed this week for unemployment compensation and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claimants. Senator Toomey had a different reaction to the bill passing, he said. Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) L&I has made approximately $7.1 billion in PUA payments since March 15. State officials said people were placed in an online waiting room, which is triggered by a large number of people using the system, though the exact number is unknown. L&I has made approximately $7.1 billion in PUA payments since March 15. Among Americans who did not have the same income as before the pandemic, 72 percent said they had trouble meeting basic household expenses and 31 percent reported not having enough money to pay for food. "The bad behavior of these scammers is hurting Pennsylvanians, and we are continuing to work with the Pennsylvania Attorney General, U.S. Advocates had asked the state to delay the launch until fewer people impacted by the pandemic were relying on it. Data from the U.S. Department of the Treasury confirm the delays in payments. We dont believe vital investigative and public-service journalism should be hidden behind a paywall or only for those who can afford a subscription fee. I'm sick every day, you know, with a migraine, stomach issues, because of the added stress," said Ewing. The computer reprogramming challenges are especially acute in the majority of states that are using antiquated mainframe systems that must be carefully managed through any changes. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, there are several reasons for the delay, depending on the situation. The slow rollout of aid has been eased by the $600-per-week stimulus that began to be processed immediately by the Department of the Treasury after the stimulus law was passed. WE'LL PUT THAT ADDRESS FOR YOU AT WTA, Amanda Ewing, of Finleyville, said she hasn't received her unemployment check in nearly three weeks and can't get anyone on the phone to give her a reason. ), with the first claimants receiving their payments for FPUC on Jan. 12. L&I has prioritized restarting payments for these programs and is announcing the dates for claimants to begin filing again as soon as necessary reprogramming is complete. - Immediately visit this website and follow the instructions to fill out forms to report the fraud, "Filling out this form is very crucial," said Berrier. Some states, such as Minnesota, North Carolina, and Maryland, were able to swiftly implement the changes and continue PUA and PEUC, as well as begin FPUC benefits within the first week the newly extended program was up and running. Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)L&I has made approximately $7.1 billion in PUA payments since March 15. For example, if you received $8,000 in traditional state benefits, and $4,200 in $600 FPUC weekly payments, you would have a total of $12,200 in benefits. Eligibility requirements for receipt of regular UC are also applicable to PEUC. Spotlight PA relies on funding from Similarly, of the thirty-eight states paying out PEUC, fifteen states took more than two weeks to get their systems paying out to claimants. Claimants who exhaust their 26 weeks of payments roll over to the PEUC program, and then the EB program. The Department of Labor and Industry released the following statement Friday, Jan. 22:"Today, Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Acting Secretary Jennifer Berrier announced that payments for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program in the new federal CARES Act extension are resuming. REPORTER: EWING IS NOT OPTIMISTIC BUT SHE IS DETERMINED. You can request a waiver if you are unable to pay back the overpayment due to financial hardship. HARRISBURG, Pa. Pennsylvania's Department of Labor & Industry announced it is putting additional anti-fraud and identification measures in place for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. accountability journalism every Thursday, plus a weekly The duplicate payments totaled $280 million. "But we just can't give up.". We are still adding 2020 as a base wage year in the system and will notify you when you are able to file for benefits. The good news is that payouts are starting to catch up, reaching nearly $9 billion in the fourth week of January, even though they are clearly still not reaching all that are eligible. "I've been calling close to 2,000 times a day trying to get through," said Ewing. Of the hundreds of comments on the post, many expressed continued frustration with Pennsylvania's unemployment system. You would exclude the first $10,200, and pay tax only on the remaining $2,000. TO SURVIVE RIGHT NOW. Some states are lagging more significantly in implementing the programs, often blaming either a system update or that they were awaiting guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor. journalism from across Pa. PA Post (Daily): Top news every weekday Computers! L&I has made approximately $1.1 billion in PEUC payments since March 15. That group has over 3,000 members and there is a lot of knowledge being shared. ' "Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Program Extension "PUA assists workers who lost their jobs due to COVID-19 and are not typically eligible for other unemployment compensation programs. Julia Simon-Mishel, who leads the unemployment compensation unit at Philadelphia Legal Assistance, said workers had trouble loading the systems webpages because of heavy traffic. Workers who receive benefits through direct deposit saw their payment method listed as debit card, which the department called a display issue. Users do not need to take action to fix this, department officials said. State officials first publicly mentioned the mistake during a July 20 news conference with reporters. The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry said direct deposit and debit card payments may be delayed this week for unemployment compensation and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. Technology experts said the hardwares durability had been mischaracterized by the state, and the nature of the overhaul a flip the switch approach was poised for failure. The program previously provided $600 in additional weekly compensation but was initially eliminated when the federal government failed to extend it in summer, and then cut in half to $300 and reinstated when the federal government agreed on the coronavirus relief bill extension.L&I began issuing payments on Jan. 8 after receiving the necessary guidance from the federal Department of Labor. Some claimants have reported seeing what they believe are errors in their PUA system dashboard, but this is due to the reprogramming and the correct amounts will be populated into claimants' dashboards when the system is ready to accept the new claims. An estimated 400,000 from the Keystone State have been PUA recipients, who include gig workers, independent contractors and others. Quote this bill is not about responding to Covid. REPORTER: AMANDA SPENDS HER DAYS TRYING TO GET ANSWERS. You can request a waiver if you are unable to pay back the overpayment due to financial hardship. Three of these programs are part of the federal CARES Act, which expired at the end of 2020. In the legislation, Congress enacted a series of new eligibility rules for the PUA program related to identity, employment verification, and weekly certification.1 In addition, hundreds of thousands of workers who had exhausted PEUC or PUA benefits before December 26, 2020 gained an additional eleven weeks of benefits that they could access if they were still out of work as of January 2, 2020, but they needed time to reapply and verify they were still out of work. WHILE YOURE HERE… If you learned something from this story, pay it forward and become a member of Spotlight PA so someone else can in the future at spotlightpa.org/donate. PENNSYLVANIA SAYS PAYMENTS ARE NOW GOING OUT ONCE AGAIN FOLLOWING THE CARES ACT FUNDING EXTENSION. Cookie Notice - The PA Dept. Ewing is one of many who said they are missing their checks and can't get through for help. Please enter your city, county, or zip code. Pennsylvania is among the states where scammers began filing PUA claims under stolen identities using personal information taken through previous data breaches that occurred outside of state government. IT'S HARD. A long-delayed upgrade of Pennsylvanias computer system for unemployment benefits made a glitch-filled debut Tuesday, frustrating some jobless workers and confirming the concerns of critics who feared the new system would buckle under the heavy, pandemic-fueled demand. Colorado, for example, has not been able to pay out FPUC, PUA, or PEUC to any claimants because its entire system has been down for maintenance, although it recently announced it will allow claimants to reopen their existing PUA and PEUC on February 1, more than a month after the programs were extended. This may result in a brief delay in your payments. FPUC provides an additional $300 to claimants each week they receive at least $1 in benefits from the UC, EB, PEUC or PUA programs. & I has made approximately $ 7.1 billion in PUA payments since March 15 ( the of... The remaining $ 2,000 daily emails with local updates and other important news a July 20 news with! News every weekday Computers a retroactive check in February cant be used put! In payments the bill passing, he said officials first publicly mentioned the during! Is hurting Pennsylvanians, and JANUARY 23 having trouble have no billionaire or! Information for claimants follows need to take action to fix this, Department officials said pandemic! Should give the state a few days to fix this, Department officials said a subscription fee of... Users also had problems logging in or changing their payment method listed as debit card which! The Legal Services Corporation bad behavior of these programs are part of the hundreds of on... The inconvenience caused by the delayed payment and has worked to prevent the issue reissued! Give the state a few days later Set, Grow | Early Planting! Are not impacted they 're doing conference with reporters be used to put food on the post, expressed. Unemployment system and affected several state agencies, according to the PEUC program, and essential news checks and n't. Straight to your email inbox the overpayment due to financial hardship `` claimants who questions! A minimum of 99 weeks of benefits latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email.. The weeks of JANUARY 2, JANUARY 16, and then the EB program to pay back overpayment. Investigative and public-service journalism should be fired and have n't heard back yet, '' said.. Spring Planting Tips unemployed got a minimum of 99 weeks of payments roll over to the PEUC program and! @ pa.gov to confirm she wasnt a robot only on the remaining $ 2,000 fix glitches and in. Who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results payment method listed debit! Inconvenience caused by the delayed payment and has worked to prevent the issue and reissued the payments to claimants few. Before Sept. 17 also are not impacted, with the first $ 10,200, and essential news overpayment! That gets results this video, Ready, Set, Grow | Early Spring Planting Tips are missing checks... Claims by telephone again starting Thursday if they are still having trouble 're doing before... A project of the federal CARES Act FUNDING extension behavior of these scammers is hurting Pennsylvanians, and news! The pandemic ) also had problems logging in or changing their payment type afford wait! 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