![]() Instead of pushing more people to apply for unfilled jobs, some experts think the requirement may only serve to create an additional roadblock for struggling unemployed Pennsylvanians. “Addressing it will require really a multi-faceted approach, and no single policy is going to completely solve it.”īut the rocky rollout of Pennsylvania’s new unemployment system and fears of insufficient outreach about the change are fueling concerns. “Employers are absolutely in the midst of a workforce crisis,” Halper said. Dozens of county chambers of commerce signed a letter to the state legislature in May urging officials to reinstate the work-search requirement.Īlex Halper, director of government affairs at the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, said that while unemployment is a “critical safety net” for people out of work, it makes sense to ensure people are searching for work while receiving those benefits. The American economy added over half a million jobs in May, but thousands of positions in Pennsylvania remain unfilled. Unemployment in Pennsylvania was 6.9% in May, according to the most recent estimate, down from a peak of over 15% in April 2020. “The people that are most affected by this are the people who are living at or below the poverty line.” “Adding in yet another piece of the puzzle for to monitor and measure seems like it is going to inject more delay, more bureaucratic red tape into a process that is already overwhelmed,” said Melissa Evans, attorney at Neighborhood Legal Services in Pittsburgh. Advocates fear that some unemployed residents don’t know about impending change, leaving them vulnerable to being denied assistance. The requirement will also apply to those in the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which expanded benefit eligibility to business owners, freelancers, and independent contractors.įor unemployed Pennsylvanians, the requirement could create more hurdles to navigate a system riddled with inefficiencies that has left some without benefits for weeks or months. HARRISBURG - Unemployed Pennsylvanians and their advocates are bracing for the return of work-search requirements, fearing the overburdened system is not yet equipped to handle another change.īeginning July 18, people seeking unemployment must attest that they applied for two jobs and completed a “work search activity,” like attending a job fair or posting a resume on a recruiting site, the week prior.
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