Shapiro Administration's Progress in Pennsylvania's Unemployment Compensation System

Strategic Insights -

The Shapiro Administration has made significant progress in fixing Pennsylvania's unemployment compensation system, which was overwhelmed during the pandemic. Under Governor Shapiro's leadership, the Commonwealth has adopted a "no wrong door" approach to UC services, ensuring Pennsylvanians can access help through phone, email, online chat, or in-person at CareerLink centers. Call wait times have dropped from over an hour to under 10 minutes, email responses average under 24 hours, and more than 106,000 workers have received in-person support. The reforms have delivered real results, including a 75% improvement in call attempts, reduced email response times, and over $1.1 billion in UC benefits paid to 691,564 individuals so far in 2025.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Shapiro Administration's reforms have cleared tens of thousands of backlogged claims, cut call wait times to the lowest level in six years, and helped more than 100,000 Pennsylvanians through UC Connect.
  • The average call wait time at the UC Service Center has dropped to just nine minutes, the fastest recorded since March 2019.
  • More than 106,000 Pennsylvanians have received in-person assistance through UC Connect appointments.
  • The financial impact of the reforms has been significant, with over $1.1 billion in UC benefits paid to 691,564 individuals so far in 2025.
  • Email response times are now averaging under 24 hours.
  • The reforms have also led to a significant reduction in call attempts, dropping from 11.4 to just 2.8 in 2025.
  • The Mon Valley Unemployed Committee has praised Governor Shapiro's leadership in fixing the broken UC system and is excited to continue collaborating to make the system more accessible to unemployed Pennsylvanians.
  • Nina Coffey, Secretary Treasurer of SEIU Local 668, has thanked Governor Shapiro for his strong commitment to working with the union to ensure that workers are delivering for the people of Pennsylvania while also improving working conditions.
  • Pennsylvanians experiencing job loss can contact LandI directly for assistance through the UC helpline, email, or live chat service.

Statistics:

  • Call attempts: 11.4 (2023) to 2.8 (2025), a 75% improvement
  • Email response times: now averaging under 24 hours
  • In-person assistance through UC Connect: over 106,000 Pennsylvanians served
  • Financial impact: over $1.1 billion in UC benefits paid to 691,564 individuals so far in 2025
  • Unemployment rate: 4.0 percent, below the national average for the 27th consecutive month
  • Private-sector investment and job creation: over $25.2 billion secured and more than 11,200 jobs created statewide

Sources:

  • Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry (L&I)
  • Governor Josh Shapiro's administration
  • Secretary Nancy A. Walker, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry
  • Mitchell Smith, UC Claims Intake Interviewer, PA Office of Unemployment Compensation
  • Barney Oursler, Co-Chair of the Mon Valley Unemployed Committee
  • Nina Coffey, Secretary Treasurer of SEIU Local 668
  • Pennsylvania's UC helpline (888-313-7284)