PUA was created through the federal CARES Act and is easier to apply for than other forms of unemployment benefits. As a result, it has extended benefits to millions of non-traditional workers, such as temps and gig workers, but it’s also been the target of fraud nationwide, with scammers often using the stolen identities of real people to apply.

Health officials said Monday there are now more cases in young people than there are in the 50-64 and 65-and-over age groups.

Unions have been thrust into the center of the fray, gaining new followers and visibility while dealing with their own financial turmoil and shifting public health directives.

An informal Keystone Crossroads survey that asked people about their reasons for being unemployed found the most common answer by far was “my job doesn’t exist.”

Employees at a large manufacturer in Berks County say they’re not informed when coworkers contract COVID-19 and are punished for taking time off due to the illness.

“Our democracy is in trouble” when large proportions of the public are not voting, said Rev. Liz Theoharis, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, which has roots in Martin Luther King Jr.’s advocacy during the 1960s.