Individuals who exhausted their regular unemployment compensation and federal pandemic emergency unemployment compensation might qualify for 13 weeks of additional payments from the state’s extended benefits program.

Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry Secretary Jerry Oleksiak said extended benefits will be paid to eligible workers whenever the state’s unemployment rate reaches a certain level determined by law.

Since March 15, nearly $22 billion in benefits has been paid including $9.7 billion from regular unemployment compensation; $9.8 billion from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program (extra $600 per week); $2.3 billion issued to Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claimants (self-employed, gig workers, independent contractors); and $133 million through Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program (extended benefits).

The current extended benefits period started May 3, but benefits are not payable until an individual has exhausted benefits directly associated with the pandemic.

Extended benefits payments begin this week and are payable only for weeks of unemployment during a 13-week extended benefits period.

Information about the extended benefits program will be sent by mail to individuals who potentially qualify for the additional benefits. According to the department, people might be eligible if they are totally or partially unemployed; exhausted regular state benefits on their most recent unemployment claim or their most recent benefit year ended; and they received the maximum amount of pandemic-associated compensation they were eligible to receive.

Final determination letters will be mailed to those who collected their maximum pandemic-associated benefits. People who don’t receive notification within two weeks after receiving final pandemic-associated benefits should call 1-888-313-7284.