Extra $300 In Unemployment To Restart For Some PA Residents

PENNSYLVANIA — Citing the ongoing impacts of the pandemic to the state's economy, officials will begin disbursing extra unemployment money to thousands of Pennsylvanians in their payments this week. Meanwhile, thousands more must wait for more federal spending to be approved in order to receive payments.

An additional $300 will automatically be added to payments of 127,000 individuals in the state's Unemployment Compensation and Extended Benefits programs. No application is needed.

“This boost in unemployment benefits is vital to hardworking Pennsylvania families who have lost their income as a result of the global pandemic,” Jennifer Berrier, the Acting Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, said in a statement Friday. “I am pleased that L&I was able to work with the federal Department of Labor (DOL) to get the information needed to quickly restart this program and get payments into the pockets of Pennsylvanians in need.”

The boost will continue through March 13.

The additional funds come from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program, which was extended by U.S. Congress in their stimulus package passed in December.

Meanwhile, the state is awaiting more federal funding in order to add $300 boosts to two other related unemployment programs that apply to around a half million more residents: the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) programs. An exact timeline on these programs is unclear, officials said.

“We’re urging the federal Department of Labor to give us the information we need to make the required changes to the program," Berrier added. "Once we get it, we’ll work as quickly as possible to get the extra $300 weekly payments to people in the PUA and PEUC programs.”