logo
L&I assists thousands with unemployment compensation claims

L&I assists thousands with unemployment compensation claims

Yahoo02-06-2025
Jun. 1—WILKES-BARRE — Now in its third year, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry's (L&I) UC Connect program continues to provide essential, in-person assistance to Pennsylvanians looking for help navigating the Unemployment Compensation (UC) system.
Since its launch in May 2022, UC Connect has helped more than 106,000 Pennsylvanians resolve claims, navigate eligibility issues, and connect to community-based resources, helping more than 700 people in April 2025 alone.
Offered at PA CareerLink locations statewide, UC Connect appointments are tailored to claimants who lack reliable internet, are unfamiliar with digital systems, or need language support. With sustained demand for in-person help, L&I has embedded UC Connect into its long-term customer service model.
"As UC Connect enters its third year, it remains a necessary and effective tool for delivering unemployment services equitably," said L&I Secretary Nancy A. Walker. "In-person support ensures that no Pennsylvanian is left out of the system simply because they don't have access to broadband or need help understanding the process. L&I has expanded UC Connect's services and took the initiative statewide, and it's clear that our efforts are making a difference in delivering faster, better service for Pennsylvanians."
After initially launched as a pilot program in 2022, UC Connect was made a permanent service through bipartisan investments in the 2023 — 24 budget, enabling L&I to hire more than 380 UC interviewers to expand service delivery across Pennsylvania.
Unemployment Compensation system update
The Department first eliminated a backlog of 40,000 claims from the pandemic era — each requiring case-by-case review — within seven months. The Department then shifted focus to scaling up staff, reducing wait times, and improving access for all Pennsylvanians.
Key service highlights from April 2025 include:
—Average call wait time was reduced to 18 minutes and 56 seconds.
—5,321 live chat sessions were completed—an increase from the same time last year
—44,077 new UC claims were filed
—$157 million in UC benefits was paid to 99,518 individuals
—86,616 helpline calls were answered
—13,965 email inquiries were processed
—709 individuals received in-person assistance through UC Connect
Since the beginning of 2025, L&I has paid out $784 million in UC benefits to more than 483,000 individuals, responded to 361,258 helpline calls, and provided 3,112 UC Connect appointments.
Risk-limiting audit of 2025 primary election begins
The Department of State this week began Pennsylvania's statewide risk-limiting election audit (RLA) of the May 20 primary.
"This is our sixth statewide risk-limiting audit since the 2022 general election," Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt said. "RLAs are proven to be the highest standard of comprehensive election audits because the RLA process provides a statistically sound, scientific method for confirming, with a high degree of confidence, that the reported outcome of the audited election is accurate."
Schmidt said 10 Department employees took turns rolling 10-sided dice to deliver the random 20-digit "seed number," which is used to determine which batches of ballots counties will audit over the next several days.
A random-selection drawing on May 23, resulted in the selection of the contest for the Republican nomination for Judge of Commonwealth Court for this RLA.
During the audit, county officials will hand-tally the randomly selected ballot batches, then compare those vote counts to the original machine counts for the selected race. Known as a "batch comparison" type of RLA, this pre-certification audit can confirm whether counties accurately tabulated paper ballots so that a full hand count would produce the same reported outcome.
The RLA will be carried out in addition to the 2% statutorily required review that counties must perform after each primary and general election in Pennsylvania. For that review, county officials are required to conduct a statistical recount of a random sample of at least 2% of all ballots cast, or 2,000 ballots, whichever is fewer.
Counties must complete the RLA by June 5, and they must certify all election results to Schmidt by June 9.
Fetterman joins push to return stolen art to Holocaust survivors
U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Braddock, is pushing legislation to help survivors of the Holocaust and their families reclaim tens of thousands of pieces of artwork stripped from them by the Nazis.
The bill, sponsored by Fetterman and a bipartisan group of lawmakers, attempts to smooth the legal process for these survivors or their heirs as they petition the courts for return of the art, according to a news release.
Though Congress passed a bill with the same aim nearly a decade ago, some museums, institutions and governments have stonewalled and battled families in their reclamation efforts, Fetterman's office said.
"Some 80 years after the Holocaust, we have a moral responsibility to do right by the victims of these atrocities and their families," Fetterman said in a statement.
The proposal extends the original Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act, which is set to expire at the end of 2026. Recognizing the difficulty of tracking down artwork stolen during the Holocaust, Congress in 2016 passed the act to give families six years to file a legal claim for a piece after they've located it.
The new bill backed by Fetterman also seeks to make sure families' court claims get fair consideration on their merits rather than being dismissed over technicalities, the release stated.
During the Holocaust, Nazi Germany seized hundreds of thousands of pieces of artwork from Jewish people. While the U.S. and other allied nations have tried to restore these valuables to their rightful owners, more than 100,000 pieces still have not been given back, according to Fetterman's office.
Fetterman is co-sponsoring the bill introduced by U.S. Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut.
DCNR: Free menstrual products available in 68 state parks
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn this week was joined by First Lady Lori Shapiro and members of the Governor's Advisory Commission on Next Generation Engagement to announce a new initiative that makes free menstrual products available in 68 state parks across Pennsylvania.
The products are now stocked in park offices, visitor centers, and environmental educational centers at participating parks, offering a convenient and essential resource for visitors.
Signage in English and Spanish helps park-goers locate where products are available. This effort is part of the Shapiro Administration's broader work to make public spaces across the Commonwealth more accessible and supportive for all.
The announcement coincides with Menstrual Hygiene Day — highlighting the importance of addressing period poverty through public policy and access.
"I've been so inspired by all the young women I've met who are making their voices heard and starting conversations on period poverty — talking so comfortably about something that, for so long, has been a taboo subject," said First Lady Shapiro. "Thanks to them speaking up, Pennsylvania has taken some major steps to ensure more women have access to basic hygiene supplies throughout the day. I want everyone to be able to enjoy their time outdoors, and DCNR's work to get free menstrual products in the bathrooms and visitor offices of our state parks is critical to making our outdoor spaces welcoming to everyone."
"No one should have to cut an outdoor adventure short because of their period — DCNR has you covered," said Secretary Dunn. "We are committed to creating inclusive, welcoming outdoor spaces — and that means meeting people's basic needs without stigma or barriers."
DCNR will evaluate the program's success and expand it to additional park locations in the future.
Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Is 7-Eleven's US IPO on the ropes following failed Couche-Tard buyout?
Is 7-Eleven's US IPO on the ropes following failed Couche-Tard buyout?

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Is 7-Eleven's US IPO on the ropes following failed Couche-Tard buyout?

This story was originally published on C-Store Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily C-Store Dive newsletter. Japanese investors and analysts are skeptical about whether Seven & i Holdings will still take 7-Eleven public in North America next year in the aftermath of the c-store retailer's failed megamerger with Alimentation Couche-Tard, according to a report from Bloomberg. Nearly a year after its initial bid, Circle K's parent company withdrew its almost $50 billion buyout offer for Seven & i, operator of over 80,000 7-Eleven c-stores globally, late last week due to what it called a lack of engagement from Seven & i's leadership. Couche-Tard emphasized that Seven & i lacked 'good faith and judgement' during the process, although Seven & i called these accusations a mischaracterization. Regardless of why the potential deal flopped, Couche-Tard is out, and there's now little reason for Seven & i to take 7-Eleven public because it no longer needs to fend off an unsolicited offer, investors and analysts told Bloomberg last week. 'The company should keep holding its entire stake as the situation has changed,' Ikuo Mitsui, a fund manager at financial services firm Aizawa Securities Group, said in the report. '7-Eleven is the company's crown jewel, and it makes more sense for it to keep its 100% stake, which should contribute to higher corporate value.' Taku Sugawara, an analyst at financial services firm Iwai Cosmo Securities, told Bloomberg that Seven & i may have only considered taking 7-Eleven public to boost its own stock price as a means to fend off Couche-Tard's bid. Since the deal is now off the table, 'it's possible for the company to end up scrapping the IPO plan,' Sugawara said in the report. But Seven & i appears set on its plans despite what experts think. Earlier this week in a letter to Couche-Tard, Seven & i's special committee, spearheaded by Chair Paul Yonamine, said it believes management's plan is 'concrete and actionable,' and that the company is now 'turning our full attention to creating value through our standalone plan' since talks with Couche-Tard have ceased. 'We know better than anyone that we need to perform and deliver,' the committee said in its letter. 'Our hard work continues, and we look forward to updating our stakeholders later this summer.' Seven & i revealed plans to take 7-Eleven public in North America back in March. The move, planned for the second half of 2026, is expected to leverage the chain's ubiquity in the U.S. — where it has over 9,000 c-stores — and help it grow faster by giving it more flexibility and responsiveness to its customers while utilizing synergies with Seven & i. Experts told C-Store Dive earlier this year that an IPO would generate significant capital for 7-Eleven in North America, allowing the convenience retailer to invest in its business. That could mean expanding its footprint, remodeling stores or continuing to build its foodservice capabilities. Recommended Reading Fueling Up: Was Seven & i ever interested in Couche-Tard's buyout offer? Sign in to access your portfolio

NS&I to deploy SBS' cloud-native core system
NS&I to deploy SBS' cloud-native core system

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

NS&I to deploy SBS' cloud-native core system

The National Savings and Investments (NS&I), a government-owned savings bank in the UK, has partnered with global financial technology firm SBS to upgrade its core banking and payments systems. This initiative is part of NS&I's Transformation Programme, which includes a contract with Atos, a digital transformation company. In this context, SBS cited a report by Celent, which forecasts that European retail banks will increase their cloud investments by 57.5% by 2030, reaching a total of $12.6bn. NS&I's internal infrastructure supports more than 24 million customers and manages changes to savings rates while addressing customer interactions. The implementation of SBS's digital, cloud-native core banking platform is expected to enhance operational efficiencies, as well as improve product and service delivery for NS&I. SBS CEO Eric Bierry said: 'NS&I's transformation program is evidence that it is possible for banks to execute this transformation—and doing so sets them up to drive otherwise unattainable efficiencies and experiences.' In collaboration with Atos, IBM, and Sopra Steria, NS&I is working to digitise its retail banking operations. The new SBP Digital Core platform from SBS will replace the existing core system, providing a cloud-native infrastructure for all retail banking and payment services. The SBP Digital Core is a cloud-native, composable banking solution that utilises latest technology and data to enable banks to deliver personalised banking experiences while adhering to regulatory standards. Transitioning to the SBP Digital Core will allow NS&I to leverage the flexibility and scalability of AWS's cloud environment, facilitating frequent adjustments to data storage and infrastructure as required. Unlike traditional core systems, which are often difficult to update, SBS's cloud and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution provides regular automatic updates, according to the tech company. NS&I chief operating officer Matt Smith said: 'NS&I's transformation programme will help to deliver the digital experiences that our customers expect, while still ensuring there is help and support for those who need it.' The SBP Digital Core is part of a comprehensive suite of retail banking solutions offered by SBS. These are utilised by more than 1,500 banks across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. "NS&I to deploy SBS' cloud-native core system" was originally created and published by Retail Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. 擷取數據時發生錯誤 登入存取你的投資組合 擷取數據時發生錯誤 擷取數據時發生錯誤 擷取數據時發生錯誤 擷取數據時發生錯誤

Fire at Newport News car dealership under investigation
Fire at Newport News car dealership under investigation

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Fire at Newport News car dealership under investigation

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — The Newport News Fire Department is investigating an overnight fire at a car dealership. Firefighters responded to a commercial structure fire at Southern Acura Newport News, located in the 12000 block of Jefferson Avenue, at approximately 1:45 a.m. Upon arrival, crews encountered heavy fire and smoke conditions at the commercial building. They then contained the fire and successfully brought it under control. There were no injuries to civilians or firefighters. Fire investigators are working to determine the origin and circumstances surrounding the fire. Continue to check for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store