Pennsylvania Borrows Money to Cover Unemployment

04.13.09 | Terry Diener

The Rendell administration has borrowed $310 million from the federal government to help cover the surging cost of unemployment benefits amid rising jobless claims. A Department of Labor and Industry spokesman says the state borrowed the money this past week, the third time in the last six years that Pennsylvania has had to seek such a loan.

The state says more than 295,000 people have been approved for benefits through April 4 of this year. That is compared to fewer than 180,000 at this point last year.