Unemployment benefits provide a bridge between unemployment and a new job. In Pennsylvania, unemployment compensation (UC) claimants now have a resource available to help them get back into the workforce more quickly.

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry has established www.JobGateway.pa.gov as the job-matching web site where UC claimants will go to register for work search. JobGateway averages more than 200,000 job postings in Pennsylvania, pulling postings from nearly 1,000 national, niche and local job boards.

Work search is a requirement of receiving UC benefits in all 50 states, including Pennsylvania. As a part of that requirement, the Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) recently approved a regulation requiring claimants to register on JobGateway within 30 days of filing for benefits. During the past year, L&I has communicated this change to claimants through multiple mailings and uc.pa.gov web site postings.

“Unemployment compensation benefits were designed to be a temporary lifeline to help transition people from unemployment back to employment,” Department of Labor & Industry Secretary Julia Hearthway said. “By having claimants register on JobGateway, they are instantly connected faster and more efficiently to upward of 200,000 real time job postings in Pennsylvania.’’

“No one wants to be out of a job; and unemployment benefits are no substitute for fulfilling employment,” Hearthway said. “We are making it easier for claimants to fulfill their work-search requirement so they can receive benefits for as long as they need and deserve while looking for another job.”

Work search registration is simple and takes about 15 minutes on JobGateway. After registration is complete, people looking for work can begin to search for employment as well as sign up to receive email alerts about job postings that match their skills and interests. Employers can also register on JobGateway to search for candidates with the skills they are looking for to fill openings.

“It’s a win-win situation where JobGateway helps the unemployed get connected to jobs in the state and employers get connected to those who are looking,” Hearthway said.

The requirements of the work search regulation took effect upon publication in the PA Bulletin on Aug. 19 and apply only to new applications filed on or after that date.

Enforcement is not retroactive. Failure to register can result in a temporary loss of benefits until the registration requirement is met.

For more information, visit www.uc.pa.gov.