A local state legislator does not believe Pennsylvania should use its federal COVID-19 relief money to replace the federal $300 weekly enhanced benefit added to the unemployment benefits residents receive from the state after the enhanced payments expire in September.

President Joe Biden said he won't reinstate the enhanced benefit after it expires Sept. 6.

“The temporary $300 boost in benefits will expire on Sept. 6th, as planned,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh co-wrote in a letter to lawmakers Thursday. “As President Biden has said, the boost was always intended to be temporary and it is appropriate for that benefit boost to expire.”

The enhanced benefits, designed to help Americans who lost jobs because of the pandemic, were enacted in the federal CARES Act under former President Donald Trump last year. The boost, originally $600 but later cut in half, was extended twice, most recently under Biden's American Rescue Plan that Congress passed in March.

State Rep. Marci Mustello, R-11th, said there is no need for the state to replace the enhanced benefits because numerous jobs are available.“We need to get people back to work,” Mustello said. “Manufacturing, restaurant and other industries are looking for employees. We are expecting more people to join the workforce once this extension ends at the beginning of September.”She said she would rather see the state use its COVID-19 relief funds to provide relief to the hospitality industry and other industries that have struggled during the pandemic.“That would be a much better use for that money than to go for extending unemployment,” Mustello said.Many employers, especially in manufacturing, are offering generous salaries and benefits to fill vacant positions, she said.“The opportunities are there,” Mustello said. “We just need to fill those positions.”

Earlier this week, Pennsylvania Labor and Industry Secretary Jennifer Berrier reminded unemployment compensation recipients of the ending of federal unemployment benefits on Sept. 4.“The federal unemployment benefit programs that helped many workers during the most difficult days of the pandemic will soon end,” Berrier said. “We encourage those receiving these temporary benefits to prepare for this change. L&I is working with its partner agencies and organizations to help identify programs and support services to help Pennsylvanians with this transition.”The state's regular unemployment compensation program and those receiving benefits from it are unaffected, she said.The federal pandemic-related unemployment programming ending includes:The Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), which provided additional weeks to individuals enrolled in the Unemployment Compensation (UC) program. When PEUC ends Sept. 4, UC will revert to providing up to 26 weeks of unemployment benefits to eligible individuals. Individuals who have exhausted their 26 weeks of UC benefits will cease to receive benefit payments for weeks of unemployment after Sept. 4 under that claim.The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which provides unemployment benefits to individuals who are not typically eligible for UC, such as gig workers and self-employed individuals. Individuals on the PUA program will cease to receive payments for weeks of unemployment after Sept. 4, unless they become eligible for the UC program.The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), which provides an additional $300 per week to individuals who are receiving at least $1 in other unemployment program benefits. For weeks of unemployment after Sept. 4, individuals will no longer receive the additional $300 per week and solely receive the benefit payment they are eligible for under UC.Berrier said L&I is urging people currently enrolled in PEUC and PUA to take advantage of free job search services offered through PA CareerLink. These services include access to a free job database, resume assistance and information about retraining opportunities.