Unemployment workers could be rehired

Harrisburg Bureau

HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Senate on Tuesday began moving to authorize short-term funding for the unemployment compensation system, after a dispute between Senate Republicans and the Wolf administration led to layoffs of system workers.

The Senate Labor & Industry Committee approved legislation that would allow $15 million from the state’s unemployment compensation trust fund to be used on the system as a “short-term fix,” said Chairwoman Kim Ward, R-Hempfield.

Ms. Ward said the money would allow the administration to bring back workers who were laid off after the Senate declined to take up a bill that would have authorized the use of $57 million. But she said it would provide for the workers only for a temporary period.

J.J. Abbott, spokesman for Gov. Tom Wolf, said the administration is “evaluating the impact of a potential short-term infusion of resources,” and that a shortterm funding bill without a “long-term solution” could cause “chaos” in the unemployment-compensation system.

“The governor would prefer a long-term solution for this funding, but this is a good step toward that goal,” Mr. Abbott said.

Jennifer Kocher, spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, RCentre, said there is no schedule yet for the full Senate to vote to send the bill on to the House.

The Department of Labor and Industry in December closed three call centers and laid off nearly 500 employees. Some of those workers have been placed in state jobs and some have retired. Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said in January that his office would conduct a performance audit of the fund that is at the heart of the dispute.

The state’s unemployment compensation trust fund provides benefit payments for up to 26 weeks to people who have lost their job through no fault of their own. It is funded by taxes on employers and employees.