Starting June 8, people who file unemployment claims will use a new online benefits system.
Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry Acting Secretary Jennifer
Berrier says the new program will be faster and easier to use.
“We want this transition to go as smoothly as possible, so we’ve conducted extensive testing to identify any potential issues and resolve them before the transition begins,” Berrier says.
It will operate on a weekly basis, instead of bi-weekly.
Because of the pandemic, the agency has a backlog of about 300,000 claims.
“We are very hopeful that the new system will definitely speed up processes for us,” Berrier says, “I think, once we get humming, we will be able to chip away at that backlog steadily.”
She says the department is still weeding through fraudulent claims.
In May, the department hired nearly 500 new staff members to prepare for the transition.
