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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Robert E. Belfanti, Jr. |
  
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Belfanti encourages UC claimants to file by Internet, mail
High volume of claims straining telephone system
HARRISBURG, Sept. 10 – State Rep. Robert E. Belfanti Jr. is encouraging unemployment compensation claimants to use the Internet or mail to file their claims due to higher-than-normal volumes the state's Unemployment Compensation telephone system is encountering.
"People who are used to filing their claim by telephone may find that they cannot get through on some days," Belfanti said. "During the past several weeks, the system has been experiencing a dramatic increase in activity for a number of reasons. While the UC service centers are working to cut down on the backlogs and process claims as fast as possible, there are things people can do to increase their chances of getting through and getting their claim processed."
Belfanti said the best option for those who are able is to use the Department of Labor and Industy's Internet services. Claimants can file their initial application for unemployment compensation, as well as their biweekly claims, on the Internet. They can also perform a change of address, check the status of their benefits, or sign up for direct deposit using the department's Internet site at www.dli.state.pa.us. Claimants should click on the "Unemployment Compensation" link under the "Quick Links" section of the home page.
Belfanti said claimants can also file their initial unemployment claim by mail. Paper applications can be downloaded at the Labor and Industry Web site. For claimants who need to continue using the telephone system to file their biweekly claims, Belfanti suggested calling Wednesday through Friday early in the morning or later in the afternoon, when call volumes are lighter.
"Claimants who can't file their claim in a timely manner because they cannot get through on the phone system will not be penalized," Belfanti said. "In the meantime, the Department of Labor and Industry is hiring more staff and keeping the call centers open an extra hour and 45 minutes – until 6:30 p.m. -- on Mondays. The department is also in the process of modernizing its claims system, which should help in the future."
Belfanti said recent federal legislation allows many unemployment claimants to collect up to an extra 13 weeks of benefits after they exhaust their initial state unemployment benefits. More than 400,000 Pennsylvanians were potentially eligible for these extended benefits, he said, which is one of the primary reasons for the increase in claim volumes.
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