From staff reports
The state Department of Labor & Industry on Tuesday said Pennsylvania will receive nearly $1.5 billion from the federal government to provide an extra $300 per week to eligible unemployed workers.
The announcement of the total funds available comes one day after the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced the state had been approved for the funds.
Payments will be made to eligible claimants retroactively from Aug. 1, according to the state.
“L&I is working as quickly as possible to evaluate what it will take to implement this program and begin paying the $300 weekly supplement in Pennsylvania, while awaiting final program guidance from the federal government.”
To qualify, the program requires eligible individuals must receive at least $100 per week in benefits from regular unemployment compensation (UC), pandemic emergency unemployment compensation (PEUC), pandemic unemployment assistance (PUA), extended benefits (EB), short-time compensation (STC) or shared work, and trade readjustment allowance (TRA).
The grant will provide the extra $300 weekly payment until the FEMA funding is exhausted, the federal government enacts a new law, or extends the recently ended Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program, the state said.
The program will run for a minimum of three weeks and will end no later than Dec. 27.