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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Camille "Bud" George |
  
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Rep. George: Tips offered on filing for unemployment benefits
HARRISBURG, Sept. 9, 2008 – State Rep. Camille "Bud" George, D-74 of Clearfield County, today said the state Department of Labor & Industry is increasing office hours and workers and offering tips to help residents file for unemployment compensation.
"The department and its phone system have been swamped by applicants," Rep. George said. "The surge is a result of both the downturn in the national economy and the implementation of the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, which offers up to 13 weeks of extended benefits to eligible claimants."
Rep. George said the department is hiring more staff and has temporarily extended hours at UC Service Centers. On Mondays – the busiest day of the week – service centers will remain open from 7 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. for several weeks. The centers are open from 7 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.
As the department works to meet the surge in applications and modernize its system, it is encouraging claimants to:
● File online for initial or biweekly claims at www.dli.state.pa.us by clicking on "Unemployment Compensation" in the Quick Links section. Continued claims also can be filed using Pennsylvania Automated Teleclaims toll free at (1) 888 255-4728;
● Call service centers either earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon on Wednesdays through Fridays when call volumes are lighter;
● File initial applications by mail by downloading an application from the department Web site.
Rep. George said the department processed more than 113,000 applications in July and August for the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program after notifying more than 400,000 potentially eligible claimants.
The federal program was launched in July after six straight months of nationwide job losses.
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CONTACT: Matthew Maciorkoski |