'Go Find A Job': PA Lawmakers Move To End $300 Extra Unemployment

HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania lawmakers are moving forward with legislation that would end the state's participation in three federal unemployment programs, including one that provides $300 a week of extra benefits.

The bill, introduced by Rep. Jim Cox, will end Pennsylvania’s participation in federal unemployment programs "that are putting the brakes on our economic recovery," the Republican from the 129th District wrote in a legislative memo.

House Bill 508 has passed through the House Labor and Industry Committee. A full floor vote has not yet been scheduled.

Cox said the legislation needs to pass because the federal unemployment programs are paying people "to sit at home."

Under Cox's proposal, the state will end participation in the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program, which provides the extra $300 a week. That extra benefit would end within a week of the bill's passage, he proposes.

The state will also end participation in the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which provides unemployment benefits for people who are not eligible for traditional state unemployment compensation. Three-week notice would be given to end that program upon the bill's passage.

Additionally, Pennsylvania will give five weeks notice to end participation in the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, which extends unemployment benefits.

"Between borrowed federal stimulus payments with no strings attached and enhanced unemployment benefits that pay people not to work, federal policy has been encouraging unemployment claimants to stay home. It may have made some sense to send that message for a few months at the beginning of the pandemic, but a lot has changed since last spring. As more and more Pennsylvanians are vaccinated or have developed natural immunity to COVID-19, there are far fewer restrictions on economic activity, and it is high time to get Pennsylvanians back to work," Cox's memo reads. "The message now should be: Go find a job!"

Last month, the state announced it would resume work search requirements for people receiving unemployment compensation starting July 18. The requirements were waived by Gov. Tom Wolf last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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