Pennsylvania – On March 20th, a bill was passed allocating $15 million to the Department of Labor, which due to lack of funding, has undergone hundreds of layoffs and three office closings in the past year. The bill would enable the Department of Labor to bring back many of the 500 employees who were laid off, resulting in several major departmental slowdowns.
As stated by the Department of Labor, “The department, along with the governor, would prefer a long-term solution for this funding, but this is a good step toward that goal…However, a short-term fix alone could force the system into chaos again, and so the department will continue to work with the General Assembly to enact a long-term fix that stabilizes the (unemployment compensation) system and does not create a crisis.”
Although this is not a permanent solution, it will enable the Department of Labor to maximize effectiveness while devising a long term plan to maintain funds and success.