Keystone Today

Pennsylvania was given $6.8 million in grant funding to advertise its equitable access to the state’s unemployment compensation (UC) system, according to Gov. Tom Wolf (D-PA).

“Over the past two years, Pennsylvania’s unemployment compensation system has distributed about $48.5 billion to Pennsylvanians experiencing economic hardship, through no fault of their own. Thanks to the hundreds of dedicated public servants at Labor & Industry (L&I) who administer UC, thousands of Pennsylvania families were kept afloat by this critical safety-net program during an unprecedented crisis,” L&I Secretary Jennifer Berrier said, according to the Official Pennsylvania Government Website.

Berrier added that they must utilize the knowledge that they have obtained over the past two years to ensure that families within the state always have access to UC protections “in times of crisis.”

Funds were given via the U.S. Department of Labor through the American Rescue Plan Act and for engagements that “that encourage equitable access to UC programs, including eliminating administrative barriers to benefit applications, reducing state workload backlogs, improving the timeliness of UC payments to eligible individuals and ensuring equity in fraud prevention, detection and recovery activities,” according to the Official Pennsylvania Government Website.

The funding will be utilized by L&I to provide more effective services to underserved populations by hiring more staff and adding technology available to staff and claimants in order to reduce ongoing Pandemic Unemployment Assistance appeals.

Other states to receive funding for this purpose include Oregon, Virginia and the District of Columbia, who received a sum of $20.5 million for this round, according to the website.

“Particularly during the pandemic, unemployment compensation became a lifeline for Pennsylvanians, but it’s critical that all Pennsylvanians who need it have access,” Wolf said on his website. “I’m grateful that this funding emphasizes efforts to ensure equitable access to the UC system and that it will support our Department of L&I’s ongoing efforts to ensure that our UC system is accessible and secure.”