PUC Continues to Educate Consumers About Available Resources & Utility Assistance Programs During COVID-19 Pandemic & Recovery

HARRISBURG – Utilizing the latest technology and coordinating with front-line community partners, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) continues to educate utility customers about their rights and responsibilities, assistance programs, and available resources – during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as during the recovery period that will follow.

“In these uncertain times, the Commission is keenly aware that many people are struggling to keep their utility bills manageable and current and are seeking guidance and help,” said PUC Chairman Gladys Brown Dutrieuille. “From the beginning of this crisis our Commission has taken steps to safeguard consumers and to reach out through our community partnerships and social media channels. The PUC remains ‘here for you’ – and we are committed to using all available methods to get valuable information into the hands of the utility customers during these extreme and trying times.”

Reach the PUC by Phone or Online

To schedule a virtual presentation or for more information, email the PUC’s consumer-education team at PA-PC-CMU_ConsumerEd@pa.gov.  For updates on utility-related actions related to the COVID-19 Pandemic, visit the PUC website or follow the Commission on Facebook and Twitter.

Educational Topics, Resources and Presentations

The PUC consumer-educator team consistently partners with various statewide community groups, state government agencies, legislators, human service providers, utility companies, community based organizations and many other partners to help educate, spread awareness and share many useful programs, tools and resources throughout this COVID-19 crisis. Among the educational topics, programs, presentations and resources available virtually and/or teleconferencing are the following:

• What does the PUC Regulate?;
• Utility Customer Assistance Programs (CAPs);
• Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Crisis Resources;
• Hardship Fund Programs and Resources;
• The Lifeline Program for Telephone and Broadband Internet Service;
• Human Service Programs and Resources;
• COVID-19 Recovery Programs and Resources;
• Energy and Water Conservation Tips;
• Utility Safety Tips;
• Consumer Rights and Responsibilities; and
• Shopping with Competitive Energy Suppliers – including presentations on the PUC’s nationally recognized websites www.PAPowerSwitch.com and www.PAGasSwitch.com.

Utility Customer Assistance Programs
Under PUC regulation, every major electric and natural gas utility overseen by the Commission offers CAPs, under which qualifying low-income customers pay discounted bills. Qualification in CAP programs is based on household size and gross household income.

Utilities also have other options to help consumers, including:

• “Budget billing” which takes a customer’s annual utility costs and averages it out over 12 months so that bills don’t jump up or down from month to month;
• “Payment plans” to help address past-due bills or delinquent balances; and
• Various “Hardship Funds” supported by utilities and donations from utility customers along with non-profit and charitable organizations operating in the Commonwealth.

Energy Conservation Saves Money

 

The PUC also encourages families to explore energy conservation to help manage bills – especially as more people are working remotely. The PUC has interactive information and tips for saving energy on its energy shopping websites – PAPowerSwitch.com and PAGasSwitch.com – to help identify ways to save on energy usage.

 

About the PUC
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and utilities; ensures safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protects the public interest; educates consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; furthers economic development; and fosters new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.

33 million have sought US unemployment aid since virus hit
By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly 3.2 million laid-off workers applied for unemployment benefits last week as the business shutdowns caused by the viral outbreak deepened the worst U.S. economic catastrophe in decades. Roughly 33.5 million people have now filed for jobless aid in the seven weeks since the coronavirus began forcing millions of companies to close their doors and slash their workforces. That is the equivalent of one in five Americans who had been employed back in February, when the unemployment rate had reached a 50-year low of just 3.5%.

Self-employed and Others Can Now File for Backdated Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Benefits 

Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Jerry Oleksiak today announced eligible self-employed, independent contractors, gig workers and others not normally eligible for regular unemployment compensation (UC) can begin filing backdated claims in the new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) website.

The new PUA system, which launched its first phase on April 18, was completed early this morning and is now fully operational. L&I opted to roll out the system in two phases to collect as many applications ahead of time as possible so that payments could be made quickly after the website’s completion. To date, more than 174,000 new PUA claims have been filed.

Important information follows about the new PUA system and the process to file for previous weeks of unemployment and weekly certifications moving forward, and more.

Backdated PUA Claims and Payments 

• PUA claims can be backdated to January 27, 2020 or to the first week you were  unemployed due to COVID-19, whichever of the two dates is later.
• The system will backdate your claim to when you first became unemployed, as reported by you when you enter your last day of work.
• You will NOT receive a confirmation email after submitting your initial PUA claim. Your determination information will be available in your dashboard on the PUA website.
• Payments will be made in one lump sum either via direct deposit or to a UC-issued debit card through U.S. Bank, whichever method you chose when you applied.
• If you’re eligible, approved and have no issues with your PUA claim, you should receive your first lump sum payment within one week or less after filing backdated claims.

Weekly Certifications and Payments 

• Moving forward, claimants MUST file their PUA certifications WEEKLY to get paid. You will receive a one-week grace period if you miss filing your weekly certification.
• An unemployment week is Sunday through Saturday, so the first day you can file your weekly certification is on a Sunday.
• You don’t have to file on Sunday – you can file your weekly certification any day Sunday through Friday.
• You can’t file for future weeks, only for the prior week(s).
• Your very first payment – whether it’s the backdated lump sum payment or a regular weekly payment – will arrive within one week or less after you file your first certification.
• Your regular weekly payments will arrive within three business days after you file your weekly certification.
• The maximum weekly PUA benefit rate is $572. The minimum weekly amount is $195.  

Additional $600 Per Week Payments 

• If you receive PUA payments, you will automatically receive an extra $600 per week through the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program.
• You will receive your first FPUC payment the week after your first PUA payment. You will receive your PUA and FPUC payments separately.
• FPUC benefits are for the week ending April 4, 2020 through the week ending July 25, 2020. These payments will also be backdated and paid in one lump sum.

Important Information About the Newly Completed PUA Website 

• You can refer to the PUA System Guide or the following helpful screenshot guides to guide you through the process:
  • PUA Weekly Certification Filing Guide
  • Part-time Job – PUA Weekly Certification Filing Guide – Use this guide if you have part-time earnings to report.

• You do NOT need a Personal Identification Number (PIN) – you will have a username and password that you create.
• Manage everything through your PUA dashboard on the website through www.uc.pa.gov/PUA – check on your claim and payment status, upload documents, etc.
• Currently, questions about your claims should be emailed to UCPUA@pa.gov. You should expect to receive a response within 7 days. This email address is for PUA questions only. Any emails unrelated to PUA will not receive a response.
• A new phone line will soon be available as well – please continue to check www.uc.pa.gov/PUA. 

Applications Still Being Accepted for PUA Benefits 

• If you haven’t yet applied for PUA benefits and are eligible, please apply online.
• Eligible individuals who have been negatively impacted by COVID-19 include:
  • Self-employed;
  • Independent contractors;
  • Gig workers;
  • Clergy and those working for religious organizations; and
  • People without sufficient work history to qualify for regular UC.

PUA Benefits 

In general, PUA:

• Provides up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits;
• May not be more than the state’s maximum weekly benefit rate for regular UC of $572;
• May not be less than half of the state’s average weekly benefit amount of $195.
• Payments will be backdated to January 27, 2020 or the first week you were unable to work due to COVID-19 (whichever of the two dates is later); and
• Benefits will not be payable for weeks of unemployment after December 31, 2020.

Information Needed to Show Previous Income 

Acceptable documentation of wages earned or paid during calendar year 2019 can include, but is not limited to:

• 2019 tax returns;
• 2019 1099s;
• Paycheck stubs;
• Bank receipts;
• Ledgers;
• Contracts;
• Invoices; and/or
• Billing statements. 

UC Payments  

Since March 15, the department has made over 11.7 million payments to claimants for a total of more than $5.4 billion in benefits – approximately $4 billion from regular UC and over $1.41 billion from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program (extra $600 per week).

UC Claim Statistics  

Since March 15, more than 1.7 million Pennsylvanians have filed for regular UC and more than 174,000 have filed for PUA. Regular UC claim statistics are available here and the breakdown of that data by industry and county is here. PUA claim statistics are available here.

PUA and FPUC are included in the new federal expansion to unemployment benefits provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Visit the commonwealth’s Responding to COVID-19 guide for the latest guidance and resources for Pennsylvanians or the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s dedicated coronavirus webpage for the most up-to-date information regarding COVID-19