Two weeks after Pennsylvania launched a new layer of fraud checks, most independent contractors and gig workers whose unemployment benefits were temporarily frozen have yet to verify their identities.

The more the workday changes – from home offices and remote work weeks to flexible schedules, finding the best way to communicate expectations and maintain accountability and performance standards, managing virtual teams requires the same fundamentals essential to any great leadership position.

Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate dropped 2.3 percentage points to 8.1% in September as the state tries to recover from the COVID-19 shutdown.

The department launched a redesigned PA CareerLink website that focuses on accessibility and features an enhanced sourcing and application process.

“As an essential business, Sheetz has been committed to staying open to serve the needs of the community. We are grateful for the dedication of our employees who have continued to provide superior customer service during these challenging times,"

“Not only did Barley decide to continue with the program, but the firm also ensured that I received an authentic experience by allowing me to work from the office every day and providing me with a steady workload of assignments,”

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission is calling on Lyft to strengthen background checks on its drivers.

To bolster job training opportunities, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry released $300,000 in grants to help connect businesses and school districts.

“The modernized regulation will expand eligibility for overtime to 143,000 people and strengthen overtime protections for up to 251,000 or more. This final rule ensures that employees who work overtime are fairly and fully compensated for their labor in accordance with the original intent of the Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Act,”

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry announced delays in sending checks last week after it discovered numerous cases of fraudulent claims including the arrests of 18 prison inmates and their accomplices for allegedly making $300,000 in claims on stolen identities.

The job market’s recovery from the coronavirus-induced recession is floundering as the health crisis lingers, employers continue to lay off hundreds of thousands of workers and Congress remains deadlocked over another federal rescue package.  

There's no doubt about it, the COVID-19 pandemic has sped up the natural progression of work process and communication methods moving further in the digital direction. The hiring process is definitely an important example, which is being shaped into a leaner, faster, more efficient model.

More than 824,000 Americans filed for unemployment insurance for the first time last week, the Labor Department said Thursday, as the economic rebound that began in the summer slows amid fresh layoffs and regional flareups of the coronavirus. 

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that has rocked the world economy, Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was still at a hefty 13.7% in July, but it looks like jobs may be on the way.

The law firm of Jacoby and Meyers recently conducted a national survey of 5,650 workers which showed that 38% of those surveyed believe employers should be liable to pay compensation should an employee contract Covid-19 in the workplace.