Keystone Today

Pennsylvania has been lagging behind the national average in dropping unemployment, but officials in the commonwealth are hoping that the end of the federal unemployment bonus could drive more people back to the ranks of the employed.

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, citing data from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, more than 653,000 Pennsylvania workers lost a portion or all of their benefits. One state legislator says there is a simple solution. 

“It is high time to get Pennsylvanians back to work,” Rep. Jim Cox (R-Sinking Spring), a member of the Legislature who wanted to cut federal benefits over the summer, told the The Morning Call. “The message now should be: Go find a job!”

Rep. Jim Cox | Wikimedia Commons

The federal unemployment programs put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic expired over Labor Day weekend, according to The Inquirer. The publication noted that nationwide more than 11 million people lost benefits. 

While federal unemployment benefits have expired, the pandemic continues to surge in many parts of the country, including Pennsylvania. According to a PA House Democrats, Rep. Austin Davis (D-Allegheny) is ready to introduce legislation that would extend funding to fill the gap created by the expired Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program. He called the funding “critical” to a range of workers, including self-employed and contract workers. 

“Low-wage and minority workers are also more likely to be part of this excluded workforce and are now left with little support during the delta variant surge, a new school year and an unemployment rate that remains well above pre-pandemic levels,” Davis said, according to PA House Democrats.

With employment in Pennsylvania lagging behind the national average, Davis said it's important for the state to step up. His proposal would utilize unused American Rescue Plan funds to extend the program through the end of the year, as he noted that many are still in need. 

“We have money available to reinstate this safety net for people who’ve been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, and we need to ensure they receive the help they need as they work to acquire well-paid, life-sustaining employment,” he told PA House Democrats.

The Inquirer noted recently that no state had decided to extend the $300 weekly payment beyond the expiration date.

As the benefit payments have ended, Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate has dropped, but not as quickly as the national rate, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics also noted that Pennsylvania’s 6.6% unemployment rate in July was much higher than Georgia's (3.7%) and Florida's (5.1%). Both states decided to end the federal unemployment benefits early.