HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvanians eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance are still waiting to receive their benefits after filling out an application more than two weeks ago.
"It's very hard," said Megan Nalls, a hairstylist in York County, who was forced to stop working because of the COVID-19 pandemic. "To have it be seven weeks of no income at all is just not fair to us."
Nalls says, she filled out a Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) application to receive unemployment benefits but, more than two weeks later, she has yet to receive those benefits.
"We're just kind of bottom of the barrel," said Nalls. "I don't know if they just don't care or what. I wish we could just get answers."
The Department of Labor and Industry says, benefits are coming for PUA claimants. They've been working as quickly as possible to get a website up and running in what they say is record time.
"I realize for individuals waiting for payment, that doesn't mean much to the," said Susan Dickinson, Office of Unemployment Compensation Benefits Policy Director. "But, it is quite a feat on the technical side to get a system up and running and ready to pay."
Dickinson says, she expects the system to be fully functional by the end of the week. At that time, they will begin issuing benefits with payments retroactive to April 4th.
More information on all unemployment related questions can be found here.