Pennsylvania resumes work search requirements for unemployment benefits

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry (L&I) announced Monday that the work search requirement for those people who receive unemployment benefits will resume on July 18.

“As more Pennsylvanians become vaccinated and our case count continues to decline, workers can more safely return to the workforce,” acting L&I Secretary Jennifer Berrier said. “We have been working with our stakeholder groups and have determined July is the ideal time to reinstate the work search requirement. PA CareerLink locations across the state are ready to provide high quality, individualized assistance to out-of-work Pennsylvanians as more displaced workers begin the work search process.”

According to wgal.com, individuals must begin certifying on July 18 that they have looked for work during the previous week.

The work search requirement affects all unemployment programs, including Unemployment Compensation, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.

The requirement means people receiving unemployment compensation must apply for two jobs and participate in one work search activity each week. L&I said unemployment recipients are also required to accept an offer of suitable work.

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Individuals must keep a record of their work search activities, which is subject to audit. A form to log these activities is available at L&I’s website.

The Wolf Administration stated that Pennsylvanians who turn down a suitable job offer or recall to work, will no longer be eligible for unemployment benefits.

A great time to look for a job

As reported by apnews.com, some 750,000 people in Pennsylvania receiving jobless benefits either through a state or federal program were also receiving the extra $300 a week, according to the Department of Labor and Industry from mid-May.

Career Concepts President Marc Turner says the agency is currently seeing an all-time high for job openings. There are 800 open jobs, nearly double what they see in years past.”I would say to the people out there who are coming back into the workforce, do it now,” said Turner. “It’s a great time, unprecedented to the number of jobs that are open now, so it’s a great time to look.”