Pennsylvania will likely lose EB by May 20

First topic message reminder :

FIRST PLEASE READ THE ARTICLE BELOW. IT IS NOT ONLY FOR PENNSYLVANIANS BUT FOR MOST STATES. THEN READ THIS - Please contact Governor Corbett at PA.gov and PA Dept. of L&I's Minority Chair, Senator Christine Tartaglione at her website http://www.senatortartaglione.com/ and plead with them to enact legislation to extend Extended Benefits (EB) ASAP. If anyone can put together a general letter and post it, please do. We are likely to lose EB by May 20th but I do not know what the deadline is for applying to the Federal Government for the Extended Benefits (EB). Remember Pennsylvania is a RED state (Republican Governor) and not likely to want to extend these "free" Federal funds (nuts ain't it). Also any other legislators which you can list from PA, please do and give us their contact information. We must fax, call and email now. We don't have much time and remember THEY SCREWED US OUT OF TIER 4 AND POSSIBLY EB BY TRADING TAX CUTS TO THE RICH FOR AN UNEMPLOYMENT EXTENSION OF 13 MONTHS. HAD WE KNOWN MOST OF US WOULD LOSE EB BY THE MIDDLE OF JULY, WE WOULD HAVE SPIT ON THAT DEAL. AS IT IS TAX CUTS FOR THE RICH ARE NOW PAID FOR BY CUTTING EB. SO PLEASE GET TO IT, WE NEED YOUr HELP. ALSO, PLEASE CHECK YOUR OWN STATE NOW, THEY ARE BEING VERY QUIET ABOUT THIS. MAKES ME WONDER


PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE
On April - 2 - 2011 References at bottom

As more get jobs, those who haven't lose benefits.

The prognosticators are optimistic to the max when it comes to the nations employment situation， as they expect the U.S. Labor Department to report Friday morning that the nations employment expanded by 180，000 to 200，000 in March."Businesses are hiring， and with layoffs being minimal， it appears that the labor market is indeed getting better，" said Joel L. Naroff， of Naroff Economics in Bucks County.That optimism scares Sharon Dietrich， a community legal-service lawyer who has long been one of the chief advocates for the unemployed in Pennsylvania.She is concerned because， even if the job market is starting to blossom， 90，000 unemployed Pennsylvanians could soon find themselves ineligible for part of their jobless benefits. That is about one in six of the states unemployed.The first 45，000 will lose their benefits for six weeks， starting Saturday."People without jobs will be even more out of [the publics] mind as the unemployment rate declines and economic optimism increases，" Dietrich said."But the statewide unemployment rate is still 8 percent， and thousands of jobless people remain as desperate as if it were the middle of the recession，" she said.For technical reasons， the benefits problem is more likely to affect unemployed Pennsylvanians than the jobless in New Jersey and Delaware.And now， a primer on unemployment benefits:In all three states， as in most states， the newly unemployed begin by receiving 26 weeks of state-funded unemployment benefits. Since the recession began in December 2007， the federal government has funded an additional 53 weeks worth of payments， broken up into segments.The last six weeks of the 53 are known as tier four， which are designed to phase out as a states average three-month unemployment rate falls below 8.5 percent.With a 9.2 percent unemployment rate， New Jerseys labor market is still tough enough so its jobless qualify for those six weeks. Delawares rate also qualifies.But Pennsylvanias three-month average just dropped below 8.5 percent， warranting the end of the tier-four benefits.After the regular state and emergency federal benefits run out， there is still one more set of benefits for the long-term unemployed – a 20-week block known as Extended Benefits， now funded by the federal government.These， too， are designed to phase out， state by state， as conditions improve. So， how is improvement measured? The long-standing formula compares a states average unemployment rate for the most recent three months with the same period in 2009. If it is 10 percent higher now， the benefits stay. If not， they vanish.But heres the scenario. In 2009， the unemployment rate was worsening. Now its improving. That means the gap between the two years is narrowing， so it is more likely that those benefits will go away.Pennsylvania will likely reach that point by May 20， with all extended benefits coming to an end as of June 11， the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry projects. The department estimates that 45，000 jobless will be cut off at some point during the 20 weeks.But many more will be affected because they will not receive any of the 20 weeks of benefits after they use up their earlier payments.To cope with this situation at a time when 13.6 million Americans are unemployed， Congress changed the "look back" to three years， comparing 2011 to 2008.But there is a catch. Each state has to agree. Delaware already has， and a bill is awaiting Gov. Christies signature in New Jersey. No word from his office on his plans.In Pennsylvania， there is no pending legislation. Sen. Christine Tartaglione (D.， Phila.)， the minority leader of the state Senates labor and industry committee， plans to introduce a measure early in April."We are in the situation now， where state legislators are convening and they have to get to this st， before their state triggers off" the extended benefits， said Maurice Emsellem， who monitors the issue for the National Employment Law Project， a national advocacy group."Once you trigger off， you are off for 13 weeks，" he said.Potential opponents to Tartagliones measure include large employers and municipalities such as the City of Philadelphia that fund unemployment benefits themselves and do not tap into the statewide unemployment insurance fund.For John Di Ciurcio， the issue is now moot: He was laid off as a help-desk specialist in April 2009， and he exhausted all state and federal benefits two weeks ago. But he cannot imagine why support for the unemployed would diminish now."They are saying the economy is coming back， but jobs are the last to come back，" he said. "Maybe those benefits will buy you a little time to hopefully get a job."

http://www.lenely.com/as-more-get-jobs-those-who-havent-ce-benefits-losemployment-l/
and
http://articles.philly.com/2011-04-01/news/29370840_1_unemployment-rate-unemployment-benefits-extended-benefits/2[i][u]

Oh I didn't know about all this all she told me is she is confident PA will be granted the look back to keep EB going.

I guess it depends on who you talk to.

Yea so true. I so hope the look back is granted because EB is needed because the true UE rate in PA I bet is over 10% if not more.

I hope the look back is granted also, because I need it. You are right the true unemployment rate is probably 10%

I live in Berks County PA and its tough out there for jobs. Yea you see Help wanted signs out but you go and apply and get an interview thats usually as far as you can get.

I received this in my email yesterday, please go to this sight and fill out the email letters and make the calls, don't think oh everyone else will be doing it, you need to do it. Thank you. Dazed

Go to uemployedworkers.org and fill out the forms, it takes a minute, make the call. We don't have much time.

• Pennsylvania Action Alert! Tell State Lawmakers: Don't Cut-off Extended Benefits!‏

4/26/11
ReplUnemployedworkers.org

Dear Dazed,

Unless Pennsylvania lawmakers take action soon, long-term unemployed workers in Pennsylvania will lose up to 20 weeks of unemployment compensation known as Extended Benefits on June 11, 2011. Senate Bill 994 would allow Pennsylvania’s unemployed to keep these federally-funded benefits.

On June 11, 2011, an estimated 45,000 unemployed workers in Pennsylvania will be cut-off of the Extended Benefits they’ve been receiving — unless the legislature acts. Pennsylvania’s Department of Labor and Industry estimates that a total of 135,000 jobless workers could lose eligibility for these benefits this year starting on June 11th.
Please send a message now! Tell Pennsylvania lawmakers: "Don't cut-off unemployed workers! Pass Senate Bill 994 to continue Extended Benefits in Pennsylvania!"

The federal government now covers 100% of the cost of these benefits for non-government employees. All the state needs to do to continue receiving these federally-funded benefits is to enact a technical fix to the state unemployment insurance law. Senate Bill 994 would do just that.
Republicans and Democrats in every one of Pennsylvania's neighboring states -- Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland -- have all recently passed the needed Extended Benefits legislation. In total, 24 states have already acted to allow individuals to continue these benefits.
Please send a message now! Tell Pennsylvania lawmakers: "Don't cut-off unemployed workers! Pass Senate Bill 994 to continue Extended Benefits in Pennsylvania!"

Thanks to federally-funded Extended Benefits, more than $1.5 billion additional dollars flowed into Pennsylvania since the recession started — benefiting unemployed workers and businesses alike. Over 200,000 of us, our friends, family members, and neighbors have counted on these benefits to put food on the table and a roof over their heads.

This small legislative change, with no cost to Pennsylvania, is the only thing that stands in the way of unemployed workers being able to secure the benefits they, and the local economy, so desperately need, and that the federal government is underwriting.

It's time for Pennsylvania lawmakers to act.

Please send a message to Senator John Gordner, Senator Dominic Pileggi and Governor Tom Corbett now!

Click on "Participate" to send Senator Gordner, Senator Pileggi and Governor Corbett a message:

Don't Cut-off Pennsylvania's Unemployed Workers!

Pass SB 994 to Continue Extended Benefits!

Also, please call them with that message:
Sen. Gordner: 717-787-8928
Sen. Pileggi: 717-787-4712
Gov. Corbett: 717-787-2500
Many thanks,

The Unemployedworkers.org Team
Mitchell, Chris, Maurice, Judy, Christine, Rebecca, Mike, Rick, George, Norman, Claire and Blase
www.Unemployedworkers.org




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Hi again, i have the link to allow you to easily take care of writing these emails, they are already prewritten, you may want to add something personal. Here it is;

http://www.nelp.org/page/m/6cf70a3/71598d53/33f88e22/6f6c9f51/4116216407/VEsC/

Hi again, again. We are going to need all the help on getting Gov..Corbett to sign this law. So take a look and listen to this and then go back and read my last two posts please:

Go to: http://wn.com/Tom_Corbett

On the right hand side there is a column, click the send box entitled "Tom Corbett Insults Pennsylvanians." This should give you a better idea of what we are up against.

Thanks, Dazed

IF YOU LIVE IN PA, HERE IS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO WRITE ALL THE SENATOR IN ONE SINGLE EMAIL. ALL THE EMAIL ADDRESS, HOW TO BCC, THE LETTER, ALL BY SENDING ONE EMAIL. JUST FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS PLEASE AND LET ME KNOW YOU HAVE DONE THIS. I SUGGEST YOU WIRE ANOTHER EMAIL EVERYDAY, FILL THEIR EMAIL ACCOUNTS UP ASKING THEM TO PASS SB 944. IF YOU CAN'T DO THIS SIMPLE ALL EXPLAINED ONE EMAIL THEN I GUESS WE DO NOT DESERVE EB. WILL YOU PLEASE LET ME KNOW YOU HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THIS

Here is a list of all the Senator in Pennsylvania. I feel, since many do not know of our issue, that we should write to all of them now and ask them to discuss with each other what it will be like in June when 45,000 will lose EB and another 15,000 in July. Maybe you don't think this is you, but it will be. So what you have to do is in you BCC (NOT THE CC AREA) put all of these name, just copy them and put them in. Here they are:

alloway@pasen.gov; dargall@pasen.gov; lbaker@pasen.gov; lbaker@pasen.gov; senatorblake@pasenate.com; boscola@pasenate.com; brewster@pasenate.com; pbrowne@pasen.gov; mbrubaker@pasen.gov; jcorman@pasen.gov; jcorman@pasen.gov; costa@pasenate.com; andy@pasenate.com; jearll@pasen.gov; jeichelberger@pasen.gov; eerickson@pasen.gov; eerickson@pasen.gov; ferlo@pasenate.com; mfolmer@pasen.gov; fontana@pasenate.com; jgordner@pasen.gov; sgreenleaf@pasen.gov; hughes@pasenate.com; hughes@pasenate.com; cmcilhinney@pasen.gov; bmensch@pasen.gov; jorie@pasen.gov; jpiccola@pasen.gov; dpileggi@pasen.gov’ jpippy@pasen.gov; jrafferty@pasen.gov; jscarnati@pasen.gov; lsmucker@pasen.gov; stack@pasenate.com; tartaglione@pasenate.com; rtomlinson@pasen.gov; vance@pasen.gov; kward@pasen.gov; washington@pasenate.com; mwaugh@pasen.gov; dwhite@pasen.gov; mwhite@pasen.gov; williams@pasenate.com; wozniak@pasenate.com; gyaw@pasen.gov; yudichak@pasenate.com;lbaker@pasen.gov; tartaglione@pasenate.com

In the TO area put this email address: lbaker@pasen.gov She is the Republican Chair of PA DOL&I. We need to turn some Republicans

Subject: Don't Cut-off PA's Unemployed Workers! Pass SB 994 to Continue Extended Benefits

Here is the letter, perhaps you will want to add your personal experiences to it:

Dear Senator,

Unless Pennsylvania lawmakers take action soon, long-term unemployed workers in Pennsylvania will lose up to 20 weeks of unemployment compensation known as Extended Benefits on June 11, 2011. Senate Bill 994 would allow Pennsylvania's unemployed to keep these federally-funded benefits.

On June 11, 2011, an estimated 45,000 unemployed workers in Pennsylvania will be cut-off of the Extended Benefits they've been receiving, unless the legislature acts. Pennsylvanian's Department of Labor and Industry estimates that a total of 135,000 jobless workers could lose eligibility for these benefits this year starting on June 11th.

The federal government now covers 100% of the cost of these benefits for non-government employees. All the state needs to do to continue receiving these federally-funded benefits is to enact a technical fix to the state unemployment insurance law. Senate Bill 994 would do just that. Can we please put a side partisanship, and get this done immediately. It is very stressful not knowing what is going to happen, and makes most of lives little things unbearable. Not knowing makes interview seem like you are a loser before you get there. We need you help now.

Republicans and Democrats in every one of Pennsylvania's neighboring states ---- have all recently passed the needed Extended Benefits legislation. In total, 24 states have already acted to allow individuals to continue these benefits.


Extended Benefits are 100% Federally funding, no one dime comes from the States. Thanks to federally-funded Extended Benefits, more than $1.5 billion additional dollars flowed into Pennsylvania since the recession started benefiting unemployed workers and businesses alike. 200,000 of us, our friends, family members, and neighbors have counted on these benefits to put food on the table and a roof over their heads.

This small legislative change, with no cost to Pennsylvania, is the only thing that stands in the way of unemployed workers being able to secure the benefits they, and the local economy, so desperately need, and that the federal government is underwriting.

It's time for Pennsylvania lawmakers to act.

Don't Cut-off Pennsylvania's Unemployed Workers! Pass SB 994 to Continue Extended Benefits!

Thank you.

your name
address
city, state, zip

Hey Dazed &Confused, would it be ok if this information is shared on the other unemployed forum (DAWU) as there are Pennsylvanians over there too. I would like to copy/paste it, if that is permisable w/ you. It is valuable info and in an easy, user friendly format. Thank you for getting this out.

aloneinpa wrote:Hey Dazed &Confused, would it be ok if this information is shared on the other unemployed forum (DAWU) as there are Pennsylvanians over there too. I would like to copy/paste it, if that is permisable w/ you. It is valuable info and in an easy, user friendly format. Thank you for getting this out.

Please share this information! People need to see this! Also, any help for our friends in NC and TN would also be appreciated!

aloneinpa, if it is okay with DesperateInRI, I don't have a problem sharing it with any one. Dazed

OK, thanks everyone!

aloneinpa wrote:OK, thanks everyone!

Please, never be afraid to share information. This is the only way we will ever accomplish anything. We all have to work together in order to see a positive end result. There should be no division among those of us who have been hit so harshly by this country's failed economic strategies.

The more people working together and sharing one strong, united voice, the better off we will all be.

Thank you for sharing this!

Sadly for PA unemployed the house and senate only work in Harrisburg Monday's, Tuesday's and Wednesday's. We have a SB and a HB and no one seems to agree on anything. Seems they want to get their financial house in order.

Here is the read, this is so sad, they ought to stay and get this done:

Pa. jobless benefits hinge on rules action
2 bills aim at fixing guidelines by June 11
Monday, May 30, 2011
By Laura Olson, Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau

HARRISBURG -- As lawmakers work out differences over reforms to the state's unemployment compensation system, about 45,000 unemployed Pennsylvanians will be watching.

Letters were sent last week to those residents indicating that unless lawmakers approve a technical change to the state's unemployment compensation guidelines, their federally funded extended benefits will run out on June 11.

Two measures have been introduced in the state General Assembly to make that fix. But lawmakers so far have been unable to resolve their contrasting views on whether to simultaneously solve Pennsylvania's insolvent unemployment compensation trust fund.

The Senate plan, which would add a work-search requirement for those receiving benefits and allow employers to institute work-sharing programs that reduce hours instead of laying off workers, passed that chamber unanimously last week.

In the House, a version that would more dramatically reduce eligibility and benefits failed to garner enough support to move forward. It would change how weekly benefits are calculated in a way that would impact how much seasonal workers receive, and it would deduct severance pay from unemployment benefits.

While a bloc of moderate Republicans balked at those changes, supporters say the steps are needed to swiftly repay the $3.7 billion owed to Washington from borrowed unemployment payments.

"We can -- as we have in the past -- kick the can down the road a little further," said Rep. Scott Perry, R-York, the bill's sponsor. "But this solves the insolvency by 2018."

The Senate version would save between $50 million and $60 million annually, with its sponsor, Sen. John Gordner, R-Columbia, acknowledging that more changes would be needed to repay the state's debt.

Until that federal loan is repaid, state employers must pay more each year to cover the interest, said House Labor and Industry Committee Chairman Ron Miller, R-York.

"It would be nice to extend the benefits, but I don't have the votes in the House, or at least I don't feel like I do, without some significant reforms that cut the costs for businesses," he said.

Mr. Gordner, who chairs the labor panel in that chamber, says that money does need to be repaid but is uncertain that a complete solution can be found "in this short timeline."

Lawmakers won't be back in Harrisburg until June 6, giving them only three session days before the deadline for changing state guidelines.

In the meantime, Mr. Gordner and Mr. Miller will be trying to come up with a consensus plan, House Republican spokesman Steve Miskin said.

"They both understand the need for reforming the system and bringing about integrity," Mr. Miskin said.

Unemployed Pennsylvanians currently receive an average weekly payment of about $310, according to the state Department of Labor and Industry. Those benefits last for 93 weeks, with the final 13 in jeopardy without the changes to state guidelines.

State business groups have called the Senate version "a good start" but have shown stronger support for the broader House bill and its benefit changes.

Advocates for the unemployed describe the proposed benefit reductions as extreme and prefer the more moderate Senate version.

Discussions on how to solve the fund's debt should continue so a solution can be found that changes benefits as well as the contributions from employers and employees, said Sharon Dietrich, an attorney with Community Legal Services, a nonprofit that works with poor Pennsylvanians.

Mr. Gordner said that's the longer-term approach he prefers.

Neither lawmaker promised to meet the looming deadline. But noting the challenges of doing so, Mr. Miller replied: "I'm certainly going to try."
Laura Olson: lolson@post-gazette.com or 1-717-787-4254.

First published on May 30, 2011 at 12:00 am

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11150/1150197-407-0.stm#ixzz1OWQ0gPa5

I got the letter in the mail today even though I'm working and not collecting. I am so angry and I'm so sorry that you guys are being made to go through this. Nobody deserves this. And it seems like it doesn't matter how loud we scream...they just don't care.