Annual Job Fair held as federal and pandemic benefits get set to expire

On Wednesday, Aug. 25, the Tioga Career Center and Tioga County Chamber of Commerce hosted an in person job fair at the Terra Cotta Event Center in Owego N.Y. This was the last job fair held in the area prior to the expiration of the federal unemployment and pandemic benefits on Sept. 5, 2021. 

On Wednesday, over 40 employers were present with over 1,500 jobs available. Many of those jobs were over the current minimum wage of $12.50 an hour, and many had incentives and sign on bonuses included. The job fair was attended by 88 jobseekers from Tioga County and surrounding counties. These job seekers were able to meet with hiring representatives and get in depth information on jobs, and were able to apply immediately. 

In the past, the Tioga County Job Fair has brought in 400 to 900 job seekers to the annual event. With the federal unemployment benefits ending, the purpose of this job fair two weeks prior to the cut off was to assist job seekers to seamlessly transition from unemployment benefits to a job, with no loss of income into the household. 

On Sept. 5, the federal benefits of PUA (Pandemic Unemployment Assistance), PEUC (Pandemic Employment Unemployment Compensation), (EB) Extended Benefits, $300 FPUC (Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation), and $100 MEUC (Mixed Earner Employment Compensation) will expire. There is no indication or notification from any state or federal agencies that these benefits will be extended. 

In Tioga County, 1,400 claimants will have their benefits expire on Sept. 5.

New York State is advising claimants that the job search requirements are mandated and benefits may be impacted if work search is not done and work search records are not kept for review. 

UI benefits will continue to be paid to eligible claimants, but in order to eligible for unemployment after Sept. 5 the claimant must be unemployed and be in the first 26 weeks (104 days) of current benefits. Extended benefits are only available for a maximum of 13 weeks effective Aug. 9, 2021. Claimants who have already received 13 or more weeks of benefits will no longer be eligible for those benefits.

If a person wishes to reapply for UI benefits after their benefit claim year expires, they must have worked and earned enough wages in the past five quarters to be eligible for a new claim. 

For those that remain unemployed after Sept. 5, New York’s website, myBenefits.ny.gov, provides available assistance for other programs including SNAP, Temporary Assistance, and HEAP. People who owe back rent or utilities may qualify for emergency rental assistance through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP).

The Tioga Career Center has resume, online application, and tutoring assistance services available. TASC (formerly GED) services, computer skills, and hot jobs board and job search tools are also available. The Resource Room is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Staff can be reached from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday by calling (607) 687-8483.