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125273456_web1_Gerald-Mullery

Rep. Mullery’s Plymouth flood reduction bill signed into law

WILKES-BARRE &mdash; Under federal guidelines, the week ending Saturday, July 25, will be the final claim week for the additional $600 payments.
				And eligible claimants who are waiting on FPUC payments for any claim weeks from April 4 through July 25 will receive those payments.
				On Thursday, the state Departments of Labor & Industry (L&I) and Human Services (DHS) issued a reminder to Pennsylvanians that state assistance is available when the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program &mdash; which provides an extra $600 per week to everyone receiving unemployment benefit payments &mdash; ends July 25.
				&ldquo;Unemployment benefits have been a lifeline to many Pennsylvanians out of work because of COVID-19,&rdquo; said L&I Secretary Jerry Oleksiak. &ldquo;L&I paid more than $10 billion to Pennsylvanians through the FPUC program during a time of great need. It&rsquo;s important for those individuals to know that help is available from the commonwealth both now and after the federal program ends.&rdquo;
				DHS&rsquo; programs are designed to help Pennsylvanians who have lost income or employment meet basic needs until they are able to start work again. Programs include Medicaid, the Children&rsquo;s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
				DHS has also received approval to administer benefits created specifically in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the Emergency Assistance Program (EAP) and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Recovery Crisis Program.
				&ldquo;Unless further action comes from Congress and the federal government to extend additional unemployment assistance or make an additional stimulus payment, people in Pennsylvania and across the country may soon find themselves in increasingly uncertain circumstances.&rdquo; said DHS Secretary Teresa Miller. &ldquo;In the absence of this, the Wolf Administration will do what we can to help people experiencing hard times.&rdquo;
				Miller said all of DHS&rsquo; programs are designed to help Pennsylvanians who have lost income or employment meet basic needs until they are able to start work again.
				&ldquo;If your circumstances are changing because FPUC is ending, I encourage you to apply and see if these programs can help you or your family,&rdquo; Miller added.
				If you were laid off from your job due to COVID-19, have not returned to work yet, and are no longer receiving health insurance coverage through your previous employer, you should also visit www.insurance.pa.gov to learn more about continuing your health insurance through COBRA and other coverage options.

State assistance available when federal $600 unemployment benefit ends