Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Acting Secretary Jennifer Berrier today announced that the new unemployment benefits system is now online and accepting claims at benefits.uc.pa.gov.

“Today, Pennsylvania’s Unemployment Compensation system took a giant leap forward not just in terms of technology, but in the quality of service we are able to provide,” said Acting Secretary Berrier. “L&I staff have been working hard to make the transition to this new system seamless for users. As we see users logging on and successfully filing their claims in this faster and easier-to-use system, we are thrilled to see our vision of a modern, intuitive unemployment system has finally come to fruition.”

The new unemployment compensation (UC) system replaces a 40-year-old outdated mainframe that made filing for unemployment benefits complicated for users and processing benefits cumbersome for staff. The new system makes filing for benefits easier and faster for users. Staff will need less time to process claims, which is expected to help reduce the number of users waiting for their claim to be processed.

A soft launch of the new UC system took place just after 3 a.m. this morning, with more than 41,000 individuals filing claims by 10:40 a.m.

 

A phone issued independent of the new system launch that affected multiple state agencies temporarily caused L&I’s unemployment hotlines to become unavailable. The phone system came back online at around 11 a.m. and individuals with questions about the new system can call the Unemployment Compensation Service Center at 888-313-7284 or email uchelp@pa.gov.

L&I is actively reviewing feedback from individuals using the new system and has identified two areas where several users have had questions. The first is that multiple users who receive payments by direct deposit have reported seeing their payment type listed as “debit card.” Because payment data is stored primarily by the Pennsylvania Treasury and not the UC system, this is just a display issue and is not a problem with payment type. After a person’s payment is made, the correct payment method will be displayed. Users do not need to take any action to correct this should they see “debit card” listed instead of direct deposit.

L&I is also aware that a small percentage of users are experiencing an issue logging in with their Keystone ID or when they attempt to change their payment type. This issue has been identified as being related to server connectivity, and a fix is already underway.

As a reminder, L&I is notifying affected users of status updates and system upgrades through social media, direct messaging, and on the UC System Check Enhancements Tracker.

“While we have seen success with the system so far, we are continuing to monitor it and have staff ready to identify and resolve any issues that might arise,” said Acting Secretary Berrier. “We will continue to update the public regularly as adjustments and improvements are made to our new unemployment system.”

Waiting Room

Because of the shortened filing week as well as interest in using the new system, L&I has anticipated higher than normal usage today. When the number of users on the new system exceeds a set capacity, the system automatically instates a “waiting room” page to prevent slowness or crashing for all users. The waiting room page places users into a queue in order of their arrival on the page, then admits them as other users leave the site.

Users who encounter the waiting room page are reminded to avoid reloading, exiting and reentering the page, and using an unstable connection (such as a cell phone) if possible as they will be placed at the end of the queue when they return to the page.

Additionally, users are reminded that fewer individuals file for their weekly benefits later in the week and during non-business hours, so they are least likely to encounter the waiting room during these times.

Resources 

L&I has provided a library of resources to assist users with familiarizing themselves with the new system.

Claimant User Guides:

• How to login (Spanish)
• File weekly certifications (Spanish)
• Open a new claim (Spanish)
• Overpayment management (Spanish)
• Appeal process (Spanish)
• Fact-finding (Spanish)
• Dashboard – Quick Start Guide

Employer User Guides:

• Request relief from charges
• Granting access to Third-Party Administrators

Claimant and Employer User Guides:

• Appeal process
• Fact-finding

L&I is also offering topic-specific instructional videos, including:

• Login – Create a New Keystone ID
• Login with an Existing Keystone ID
• Reset a Forgotten Password
• How to File an Appeal
• Waiting Room 101
• How to Change Communication Preferences

L&I is offering a series of workshops and other easy-to-use tools and helpful resources for users, including the legislative, advocate, and employer communities, to guide them through the transition to the new system.

Upcoming Workshop Dates and Links:

• Wednesday, June 9 at 2:00 PM for Claimants (English)
• Thursday, June 10 at 6:00 PM for Claimants (English)
• Thursday, June 10 at 7:30 PM for Claimants (Spanish)

A full list of scheduled workshops and links to connect to them are here. Recordings of each workshop will be uploaded to this page on www.uc.pa.gov.

Programs on the new system are Unemployment Compensation and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation. Historic information for individuals who have filed on the Extended Benefits program will also be on the new system.

The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program is not affected by the change to the new system.

For more information and updates on unemployment benefits programs, visit www.uc.pa.gov or follow L&I on Facebook or Twitter. 

Garfield Lemonius, M.F.A. has been appointed Acting Dean and Artistic Director at the Conservatory of Performing Arts and Artistic Director of the Pittsburgh Playhouse at Point Park University. Lemonius previously served as Chair of the Department of Dance. A native of Jamaica and Canada, Lemonius’ career includes performing in film, with contemporary companies and in solo guest works across the U.S., Canada, and Europe.  At Point Park University, Lemonius has been responsible for ushering in innovative dance and academic programming.  He established a virtual speaker series during the pandemic to help connect students with thought leaders in the dance field, and most recently, led an effort to partner with Minding the Gap, a Pittsburgh-based, non-profit organization dedicated to helping improve dancers’ mental health and access to services.

“I’m honored and humbled by this appointment and the support the University leadership has shown me and I’m privileged to work with the exceptional Playhouse staff and faculty,” said Lemonius.  “My goal is to ensure that the Pittsburgh Playhouse continues to support the academic mission of the University, provide our students with exceptional performing opportunities, and present Pittsburgh audiences with compelling, entertaining, and innovative productions.”

The Pittsburgh Playhouse will be announcing its comprehensive 2021 – 2022 season on Thursday June 24 during the inaugural performance of Inside/Outside, the new summer music festival being presented every Thursday and Friday from June 24 – July 30 with partner organizations MCG Jazz, Chatham Baroque and Pittsburgh Chamber Orchestra.  The June 24 event will run from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Pennsylvania State Police have reported via release that on June 5th 6:51 p.m. on Route 18, The New Castle Police investigated a two vehicle accident. A 2017 Hyundai Elantra operated by an 18 year old male, Alfred Kennedy, was traveling east on Vance Rd., and failed to stop at a stop sign before entering onto Route 18 while a 2007 Ford E-250, operated by 59 year old man Patrick Kerr, was traveling south on the same route. Kennedy then struck into Kerr, causing him to travel through the northbound lane, off the roadway and overturn onto the passenger side coming to a final rest facing north. Kennedy’s vehicle traveled through the north bound lane and off the roadway facing east. Both vehicle’s were towed from the scene to Del’s Garage. Kennedy’s vehicle was accompanied by a 26 year old female, Alexandra Conforti, a 23 year old female, Abby Conforti, and another passenger who has yet to be identified, who were all taken to St. Elizabeth sustaining injuries. Kerr, who was operating the second vehicle involved in the crash, was also admitted to St. Elizabeth due to sustaining injuries from the crash.

Pennsylvania State Police have reported via release that on April 17th, 2021 at approximately 2:06 p.m., PSP conducted a traffic stop on the off ramp from US422 west bound onto W Pittsburgh Rd, in Taylor Township, Lawrence County. The operator of a 2000 Chevy Prizm was identified to be a 22 year old female, Catrina Kitchen; a New Galilee resident. Kitchen gave consent for the vehicle to be searched, where narcotics and drug paraphernalia was located. Kitchen showed signs of being under the influence of a controlled substance. Through field sobriety testing it was determined KITCHEN was operating the vehicle while under the influence of a controlled substance. Kitchen was arrested and later released as per Rule 519 at UPMC Jameson. Charges have been filed through MJD 53-3-02.

Pennsylvania State Police have reported that on June 4th, 2021, at approximately 6:20 p.m., Officers from the Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, with the assistance from the City of Pittsburgh Police Department and a Trooper from the State of Police Barracks, obtained and served a search and an arrest warrant at the Savoy Sports Bar, located at 2623-2326 Penn Avenue, PA 15222. The BLCE have been receiving numerous complaints alleging that the premises has been open and operating without a valid liquor license, and upon further investigation, the allegations were confirmed to be true. Charles Sanders was arrested and transported to the Allegheny County Jail, and because of the search warrant approximately 12.2 gallons of malt or brewed beverages and approximately 277 liters of liquor were seized.

Swaths of internet down, outage at cloud company Fastly
LONDON (AP) — Numerous websites were unavailable on Tuesday after an apparent widespread outage at cloud service company Fastly. Dozens of high-traffic websites including the New York Times, CNN, Twitch and the U.K. government’s home page, could not be reached. Fastly said in repeated updates on its website that it was “continuing to investigate the issue.” About an hour later, the company said: “The issue has been identified and a fix has been applied. Customers may experience increased origin load as global services return.” A number of sites that were hit early appeared to be coming back online.

AAA: Western PA Gas Prices Jump as Crude Oil Prices Climb
Gas prices in Western Pennsylvania are seven cents higher this week at $3.240 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                 $3.240
Average price during the week of June 1, 2021                                        $3.177
Average price during the week of June 8, 2020                                        $2.345

The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:      

$3.152      Altoona
$3.234      Beaver
$3.214      Bradford
$3.253      Brookville
$3.246      Butler
$3.254      Clarion
$3.239      DuBois
$3.248      Erie
$3.212      Greensburg
$3.244      Indiana
$3.254      Jeannette
$3.219      Kittanning
$3.244      Latrobe
$3.239      Meadville
$3.270      Mercer
$3.219      New Castle
$3.241      New Kensington
$3.259      Oil City
$3.239      Pittsburgh
$3.241      Sharon
$3.277      Uniontown
$3.259      Warren
$3.255      Washington

Trend Analysis:
After ten days of stability, the national gas price average increased a penny over the weekend to $3.05. On the week, the majority of states’ (26) gas price averages either increased by one cent or saw no movement. Only two states saw prices increase a nickel or more. Prices are poised to fluctuate in the coming week, especially in light of a recent drop in demand. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported demand decreased from 9.48 million barrels a day to 9.15 million barrels a day for the week ending May 28. During the same week, total gasoline stocks increased to nearly 234 million barrels as U.S. refinery utilization jumped to 88.7%—the highest rate since February 2020.

This week’s demand number is expected to be higher as it will reflect Memorial Day holiday weekend travel, but it’s not likely to lead to an increase in gas prices for the majority of motorists. However, crude oil is on the rise and could prop up pump prices.

Last week, crude prices increased to their highest price point ($69/barrel) in 2.5 years. Since crude accounts for more than 50% of the price at the pump, when it goes up, so does the price motorists pay. What is promising is that crude may not sustain at this level. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and its allies including Russia, announced last week it still plans to gradually increase crude production in July. If it does increase production, this could lead to a decrease in crude oil prices.

Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at GasPrices.AAA.com.

Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Acting Secretary Jennifer Berrier yessterday announced that the transition from the decades-old mainframe to a new, faster, and easier-to-use Unemployment Compensation (UC) system is on track for launch tomorrow.

“We still have many key hurdles to cross, but the transition so far has been smooth, and we are ready for the new system to come online Tuesday,” said Acting Secretary Berrier. “Months of hard work and testing have helped us eliminate many potential issues, and we continue to have staff on hand around-the-clock ready to resolve anything that comes up during the rest of the transition.”

With the new system deployment just hours away L&I is encouraging UC and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) claimants to familiarize themselves with the new system through a series of 25 workshops and other easy-to-use tools and helpful resources.

Upcoming Workshop Dates and Links:

• Wednesday, June 9 at 2:00 PM for Claimants (English)
• Thursday, June 10 at 6:00 PM for Claimants (English)
• Thursday, June 10 at 7:30 PM for Claimants (Spanish)

A full list of scheduled workshops and links to connect to them are here. Recordings of each workshop will be uploaded to this page on www.uc.pa.gov.

Topic-specific instructional videos:

• Login – Create a New Keystone ID
• Login with an Existing Keystone ID
• Reset a Forgotten Password
• How to File an Appeal
• Waiting Room 101
• How to Change Communication Preferences

Other Helpful Resources: 

Claimant User Guides:

• How to login (Spanish)
• File weekly certifications (Spanish)
• Open a new claim (Spanish)
• Overpayment management (Spanish)
• Appeal process (Spanish)
• Fact-finding (Spanish)
• Dashboard – Quick Start Guide

Employer User Guides:

• Request relief from charges
• Granting access to Third-Party Administrators

Claimant and Employer User Guides:

• Appeal process
• Fact-finding

System Tracker

L&I has launched the UC System Enhancements Tracker to help users easily view status updates of the new system after it comes online tomorrow. Updates on the transition to the new system are also being posted regularly on L&I’s Facebook and Twitter pages. The Unemployment Compensation Service Center phone line and email will continue to remain open throughout the transition to the new system.

The UC system went offline Wednesday evening and will continue to be offline until the new system launch tomorrow. When the new system comes online, all eligible UC and PEUC claimants will be able to file for available weeks and filing will change from biweekly to weekly.

The Extended Benefits program will also operate on the new system. The final week of eligibility for this program has passed, but individuals who need to take action within the program – such as viewing past payments – will be able to do so once the new system comes online.

The transition to the new UC system does not affect Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claimants, who file through a separate system.

For more information and updates on unemployment benefits programs, visit www.uc.pa.gov or follow L&I on Facebook or Twitter. 

(Beaver, Pa.) Jury selection continues today in the upcoming trial of Sheldon Jeter Jr. who is accused of killing his childhood friend Tyric Pugh in May of last year. Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano spoke with Beaver County District Attorney David Lozier and he expects jury selection to take three to four days and for the trial to last many weeks.

Investigators say that Jeter’s trial will focus on May 15, 2020 when Pugh was for dead in the street and surveillance video showed a vehicle they believe belonged to Jeter.

Investigators say when they went to Jeter’s home, they found a weapon matching the shell casings found at the crime scene. Jeter’s attorney has denied that Jeter has any involvement in the case.