Commonwealth Assists Those Losing Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation This Week

With the additional $600 federal unemployment benefit about to end, the Departments of Labor & Industry (L&I) and Human Services (DHS) are reminding Pennsylvanians that other state programs are available. Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), which funds the extra $600 in unemployment compensation each week, ends July 25 unless extended by the federal government.

“L&I has helped get more than $13.8 billion from the FPUC program into the pockets of Pennsylvanians out of work because of COVID-19,” said L&I Secretary Jerry Oleksiak. “This extra $600 per week has been a lifeline for many people and the department has encouraged Congress to extend it. However, if the federal program does end, there are important state services available to help people.”

DHS’ programs are designed to help eligible Pennsylvanians who have lost income or employment meet essential needs until they are able to start work again. Public assistance programs help ensure that individuals and families can access health care, have enough food to eat, and can pay utilities – things everyone needs to stay healthy and safe and succeed in the workforce.

“The additional unemployment funds have been a lifeline that, in many cases, may be keeping people financially stable and able to meet essential needs despite losing employment,” said DHS Secretary Teresa Miller. “Without this income, people may not be able to make ends meet. I urge anyone who is losing their federal unemployment payment to apply for public assistance programs to see whether they may qualify. These programs exist to ease difficult times, and they will continue to be here for people during the weeks and months ahead.”

Programs include:

• Medicaid;
• Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP);
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP);
• Child Care Works (CCW) subsidized child care; and,
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

DHS has also received approval to administer benefits created specifically in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Recovery Crisis Program, which provides assistance for home energy bills, helping ensure continuity of utility and other energy services. This program will run through August 31, 2020.

Pennsylvanians who have experienced a change in income or job loss, regardless of its relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, can apply for benefits online at any time at www.compass.state.pa.us. 

Visit the Resources for Pennsylvanians page at www.pa.gov to also find:

• Mental health resources;
• Financial help;
• Mortgage and rent information;
• Food assistance, and more.

In addition to these programs, PA CareerLink offices are also providing virtual services to help connect businesses with job seekers and assist with résumés, career development activities and more.    

Some of PA CareerLink’s virtual services include:  

• Adult education classes
• All employer services
• Career counseling
• Eligibility determination for Workforce Innovation programs and service
• Job search assistance
• On-the-Job Training programs
• Résumé assistance
• Virtual workshops
• Youth Programming and work readiness services

For more information, visit www.pacareerlink.pa.gov.

While the FPUC program may end, eligible claimants waiting for a payment from claim weeks April 4 through July 25 will receive those payments.

July 31 is Deadline for Businesses, Nonprofits to Apply for Hazard Pay Grants Through DCED

July 31 is the deadline for Pennsylvania businesses, healthcare nonprofits, public transportation agencies, and certified economic development organizations (CEDOs) to apply for a share of $50 million in grant funding to help them provide hazard pay to their employees who continue to work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two-week application period began with the announcement of the program by Governor Tom Wolf and members of the Senate Democratic Caucus on July 16. Applicants may use the online DCED Electronic Single Application for Assistance at www.esa.dced.state.pa.us. Program inquiries may be directed to (717) 787-6245 or [email protected].

The hazard pay grant program is intended to benefit employees in life-sustaining occupations and to keep frontline employees working in vital industry sectors across the Commonwealth. The program was created through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and is a reimbursement-based grant. It is being administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). Individual businesses may apply for up to $3 million.

The following applicants are eligible to apply:

• Businesses
• Healthcare Non-profits
• Public Transportation Agencies
• Certified Economic Development Organizations (CEDO)

Eligible Pennsylvania-based industries include:

• Healthcare and Social Assistance
• Ambulatory Health Care Services
• Hospitals
• Nursing and Residential Care Facilities
• Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation
• Food Manufacturing
• Food Retail Facilities
• Security Services for eligible industries listed above and commercial industries that were not closed as a result of the Governor’s Business Closure Order
• Janitorial Services to Buildings and Dwellings

Grant funds may be used for hazard pay for direct, full-time and part-time employees earning less than $20/hour, excluding fringe benefits and overtime for the 10-week period from August 16, 2020, to October 24, 2020. Applicants may apply for up to $1,200 per eligible full-time equivalent (FTE) employee. Employers may apply for a grant to provide hazard pay for up to 500 eligible full-time equivalent employees per location.

Congressional Democrats Look to Extend UC Benefits as GOP Pushes for Employer Protections

Worker benefits and employer protections have been at the heart of ongoing dialogue in the nation’s capital over the next federal COVID-19 relief package.

On July 14, the Inquirer published an article under the ominous headline, “Congress weighs protecting employers vs. workers in new pandemic legislation.” The report detailed how Congressional Democrats are pushing to enact “an emergency standard meant to bolster access to protective gear for health care and other workers and to bar employers from retaliating against them for airing safety concerns.”

Meanwhile, the article stated, “Republicans seek immunity for employers from lawsuits related to the pandemic, an effort they say would give businesses the confidence to return to normal.”

More recently, the Associated Press reported that Senate Republicans and the White House continue to attempt to hammer out a unified proposal before starting negotiations across the aisle. The White House relented on its effort to include a payroll tax cut in the package to benefit businesses at the urging of Republican leaders, who disliked the hefty price tag of the proposal.

Democratic leaders continue to push for an extension of the $600 per week Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) payments to displaced workers, which will expire as of July 25 under prior authorization. Leading Republicans say that the payments should be reduced so that unemployed folks are encouraged to return to work. Yet, Democrats note that it would take states many weeks to modify their payment systems to implement a change. So, the $600 rate should be extended at least for the short term.

Senate Republican leadership was planning to release the GOP’s proposed relief package on July 23 but cancelled a scheduled press event as they held additional meetings with White House officials. The GOP proposal is expected to come next week.

Pennsylvania Marks Another Dubious Minimum Wage Milestone

Each session day in the Pennsylvania Senate, Senator Tartaglione delivers remarks to acknowledge how many days and years is has been since the General Assembly last raised the state’s minimum wage. As of today, July 24, it has been 5,129 days or more than 14 years.

However, July 24 marked another dubious anniversary for Pennsylvania’s minimum wage. It was the 11th anniversary of the last time minimum wage workers received any raise in the Commonwealth.

On that date in 2009, the federal government raised its minimum wage and, by default, Pennsylvania’s minimum wage increased by 10 cents per hour to the current rate of $7.25. So, Pennsylvania last adopted a minimum wage increase on July 6, 2006, and the federal government last implemented a minimum wage increase on July 24, 2009.

No minimum wage increase is expected in Harrisburg or Washington, D.C., this July. Senator Tartaglione introduced the legislation that raised Pennsylvania’s minimum wage in 2006 and since then has continued to introduce bills each two-year legislative session that would further raise the minimum wage.

Senator Tartaglione’s current minimum wage bill, Senate Bill 12, was referred to the Labor & Industry Committee on March 22, 2019, but has not been called to a vote.
“Today is a sad reminder that across the state many workers are on the job and earning poverty wages because Pennsylvania hasn’t raised the minimum wage in over a decade,” Governor Tom Wolf said. “Many of them are essential workers, who throughout the COVID-19 pandemic have gone to work and put themselves at risk to provide the services all of us rely on.”

“Eleven years is far too long for hardworking people – no matter the age – to struggle with low wages. Now more than ever, it’s time for the General Assembly to listen. It’s time to raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage.”

L&I Provides Details on Pennsylvania’s 13.0% Unemployment Rate for June

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) released its employment situation report for June 2020. Data collected for the June employment situation report was for the reference week of June 7 to 13.

Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was down four-tenths of a percentage point over the month to 13.0% in June. The national rate fell 2.2% from 13.3% in May to 11.1% in June. The Commonwealth’s unemployment rate increased by 8.7% from June 2019 while the national rate was up 7.4% in that time.

Pennsylvania’s total nonfarm jobs were up 231,500 over the month, the largest single-month increase on record, to 5,433,000 in June. Jobs increased in 8 of the 11 industry super-sectors. The largest gain was in leisure & hospitality which added 76,100 jobs from May.

Over the past two months, Pennsylvania has recovered nearly 40 percent of the total nonfarm jobs it lost in March and April.

Over the year, total nonfarm jobs in Pennsylvania were down 620,300 with declines in each of the 11 super-sectors. The largest 12-month change among super-sectors was a decline of 215,500 jobs in leisure & hospitality.

Additional information is available on the L&I website or by following the Department on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

June 2020 State Unemployment Ranking

(Seasonally adjusted; National Rate: 11.1%; Source: USBLS)