Pa. Department Of Labor And Industry Brings In 70 Extra Employees To Help With Large Volume Of Unemployment Claims

HARRISBURG (KDKA) - The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry says its unemployment compensation continued claims system is back up.

On Twitter Monday, the department announced the UC continued claims application was experiencing technical issues, causing the system to go down.

"We are working to restore the system as quickly as possible," the tweet says.

About half an hour later, the system was restored.

While the system was down, continued claims could be filed by phone.

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Earlier in the day, the department said their unemployment compensation system was experiencing "intermittent slowness" because of "high volumes."

There's such a large volume of unemployment claims that the state is bringing in extra workers.

"As of this morning we've had 1,340,327 initial unemployment claims that have been filed," state Secretary of Labor and Industry Jerry Oleksiak told KDKA's Ross Guidotti.

Right before mitigation efforts began, it was 40,000. Scores of Pennsylvania residents filing for benefits have reached out to KDKA, citing hours-long waits using the state's toll free number and others frustrated by online applications running into trouble.

To help with the volume, the state is calling in more troops.

"We've brought on 70 retired UC employees that started as of today," said Oleksiak.

Big questions for those out of work include: Why is it taking so long to get my benefits? Where's my PIN number? What's is a PIN number?

Your PIN number is a unique number that lets you file for your biweekly claims. It should normally take five to seven days, but in the past month, it's been taking a little longer -- two weeks, sometimes three.

And what about payment lags?

Susan Dickinson, the state director of unemployment compensation benefits policy, told KDKA's Ross Guidotti not receiving a PIN is the only payment lag other than having an actual issue on the claim.

If you haven't received a payment, Harrisburg says do not file another claim; it will only complicate matters.

Now what about independent contractors? The federal CARES Act told the states they'll supply the money, but the states have to figure a way to distribute it.

Pa. is setting that system up.

"We want to make everyone understands that if you are a self-employed individual, someone interested in this program, please don't file a regular claim right now because it's going to be a completely different application," said Dickinson.

Finally, the government is adding the extra $600 to your unemployment compensation through the FPUC program. You don't need to file anything else.

"You're going to get paid normally with your regular benefits and then you'll receive your FPUC benefits approximately one week later," she said.

More than one million workers have filed for unemployment in Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry asked for patience and understanding through its technical difficulties.

For more information on how to file for unemployment, click here.

In:
• Unemployment