Labor And Industry To Modernize Computer System

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – After a year of frustration over long waits for benefits, jammed phone lines and confusing filing procedures, Pennsylvania’s Department of Labor and Industry is promising a much quicker and easier unemployment compensation claims filing system. The new system scheduled to launch June 8 is based on what the department said Thursday is modern software to replace an “obsolete 40-year-old mainframe legacy system.” It arrives after a series of bungled efforts to replace the system began in 2006. Pandemic-related shutdowns starting last spring stressed the system like never before, as claims shot to record levels and swamped a barebones staff forced to work remotely.