Those seeking to apply for unemployment benefits — new or continued — will be unable to file until June 8.

The state Department of Labor & Industry (DLI) began transitioning from its current unemployment compensation system to a modern system Sunday, and the system will be offline Thursday through Tuesday, rendering the department unable to accept or process both new and weekly claims.

Pennsylvania's current unemployment system is 40 years old, according to DLI, and the new system, which will launch Tuesday, is touted by the state labor department as being “much easer to use,” including faster access to information and a streamlined filing process.

DLI said the new system will be mobile- and tablet-friendly, and will offer a modern interface similar to those “most people use every day.”

This is a breaking news report — read more in Thursday's Butler Eagle.