Pennsylvania Official Gives Update On What They Are Doing To Help Unemployed Get Paid

Natasha Brown reports.

YOU CAN SEE IT AT 10 O'CLOCKTOMORROW NIGHT RIGHT HERE ONCBS3.TODAY THE NATIONAL BUREAUOF ECONOMIC RESEARCH CONCLUDEDTHE U.S. IS IN A RECESSION.THE NONPROFIT RESEARCH GROUPSAYS IT BEGAN IN FEBRUARY.OFFICIALS ARE UPDATING US ONWHAT THEY'RE DOING TO MAKESURE THE UNEMPLOYED GET PAID.NATASHA BROWN IS IN FAIRMOUNTWITH THE DETAILS.Reporter: HI, JESSICA.IT IS A MONUMENTAL TASK ATTHIS POINT AS WE CAN TELL YOUTHAT MILLIONS OFPENNSYLVANIANS HAVE ALREADYAPPLIED FOR UNEMPLOYMENTCOMPENSATION SINCE THEBEGINNING OF THIS PANDEMIC ANDTHE STATE HAS ALREADY PAID OUT$14 BILLION IN BENEFITS,NONETHELESS, THEY SAY THEY AREDOING ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHINGTHEY CAN TO GET THESE CLAIMSHANDLED AS QUICKLY ASPOSSIBLE.SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THEPANDEMIC, UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMSHAVE FILTERED IN FAST ANDFURIOUSLY THROUGHOUTPENNSYLVANIA AS BUSINESSESREMAIN SHUTTERED.THE STATE'S LABOR AND INDUSTRYSECRETARY UPDATES US ON THESTAGGERING NUMBERS.MILLIONS OF CLAIMS HAVE BEENFILED.2.5 MILLION CLAIMS THATHAVE BEEN FILED SINCE MARCH15TH.2 MILLION FOR REGULARUNEMPLOYMENT AND ABOUT 512,000FOR THE PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENTASSISTANCE.Reporter: HUNDREDS OFADDITIONAL STAFF MEMBERS VERYHIRED TO KEEP UP WITH THETREMENDOUS LOAD OF CLAIMS ANDTO HELP GET THROUGH THEBACKLOG OF FILINGS FOR THOSESEEKING UNEMPLOYMENT COMMENTUS.WE ADDED 312 NEW EMPLOYEESBRINGING THE TOTAL OF SERVICESTAFF TO 1,491.WE'VE ADDED 358 ADDITIONALSTATE EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE BEENREASSIGNED FROM OTHER OFFICESAND AGENCIES TO ASSIST INUNEMPLOYMENT COMP.Reporter: NOT ONLY IS THECOMMONWEALTH PROCESSING ANUNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OFCLAIMS, BUT IT'S ALSO DEALINGWITH SCAMMERS WHO HAVETARGETED UNSUSPECTINGCLAIMANTS.SCAMMERS HAVE STOLENPERSONAL IDENTITY INFORMATIONTO ESTABLISH PHONY BANKACCOUNTS AND HAVE ATTEMPTED TORECEIVE UNEMPLOYMENTCOMPENSATION BENEFITS.Reporter: WHILE FRAUDINVESTIGATORS TACKLE SCAMMERSL AND I SAYS ITS SYSTEM HASNOT BEEN BREACHED.MEANTIME PHILADELPHIABUSINESSES ARE BEGINNING TOSEE A LIFELINE NOW THAT THECITY IS IN THE YELLOWREOPENING PHASE AND STATEOFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE SEEINGSIGNS OF HOPE ON THE HORIZON.THE NUMBERS OF -- THAT WEHAD SEEN APPLYING FORUNEMPLOYMENT HAVE BEENDROPPING.Reporter: WELL, THAT ISCERTAINLY PROMISING NEWS ATTHIS POINT.RIGHT NOW, THOUGH, WE CAN TELLYOU THAT THE CURRENTUNEMPLOYMENT RATE INPENNSYLVANIA IS 15.1%.THAT IS FROM APRIL.THE MAY NUMBERS DON'T COME OUTUNTIL NEXT WEEK.THAT IS THE VERY LATEST FOR