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Good morning, and thank you for joining us for today's call with acting secretary Jennifer barrier in chair Gladys brown to trail from the Pennsylvania Utilities Commission. Teresa Elliot, deputy communications director for. Before we get started with opening remarks. Let me brief. You about some format changes to the weekly media calls moving forward. As we get closer to the end of the federal programs on December 31st, we'd like to start providing your readers viewers and listeners with information from our partners and Commonwealth agencies about other forms of assistance that may be available. Moving forward, our weekly calls will focus focus on a specific topic of discussion. Today's call will highlight the utility related assistants and consumer safeguards for out of work, Pennsylvania. If you have questions on that topic, we ask that you met them in a usual fashion by clicking the blue chat icon located in the lower right hand side of your screen. Please submit your name and media outlet followed by your question. In the interest of time, you'll be limited to 1 question, but time permitting will open up the call for 2nd round of questions on that day's topic. It may submit any additional questions or follow up questions. Or general, you see questions to us at dot. Gov. And we will address them after the call. Additionally, we will provide participating media outlets. If you see stats about payout amounts, the numbers of calls, chats and emails answered and additional background information, following the call along with the link to the recording. For your awareness, this call is being recorded. If you do not consent to being recorded, please hang up now. Let's get started with comments from acting secretary, Jennifer barrier secretary. Hi, good morning. Thank you. Teresa and welcome McNamara to trial. I'd also like to welcome members of the media for joining us on this morning's call. As I know you are aware last evening, congressional leaders and nounce. That they have reached an agreement on a coded 19 relief package. The next step is for the house and the Senate to formally vote on the bill. Which they expected to do today, and for ultimately the president to sign the bill into law. What is known so far is that the agreement includes an extension of the pandemic unemployment assistance program also known as papilla and the pandemic emergency unemployment compensation program, which we referred to as the P. C. The bill also, or the proposal also includes a renewal of weekly, supplemental assistance for unemployment compensation claimants. Governor Tom LIF, and I have urged Congress repeatedly to take these actions for hard working Americans. Including more than 500000 pennsylvania's who need these programs to pay for basic human needs. Like, food and housing during this pandemic after the cobin, 19 Bill relief comes becomes law all states must wait on guidance from the US Department of labor before provisions of the act can be implemented. After we receive final federal guidance, we will quickly share important updates and claimant instructions. We plan to do that through a media briefing and press release. On our social media challenges channels also on the labor and industries website, which is W. W dot. Dot dot Gov. And through direct communications with COA and P. C. claimants. Once enacted by Congress, labor and industry is prepared to swiftly, implement the extensions and renewal. The goal of this morning's call though is to highlight the options that may be available to Pennsylvania who are struggling with the financial impacts of coven, 90. Understandably, unemployment compensation is the 1st program that people think of when they experienced job loss, or they have a reduction in their hours. But pennsylvanians need to know that they may qualify for other assistance. That's out there and this is especially important with the coven 19 cases searching across the country. And also, as we work the official start of winter today, and prepare for the dangerously cold temperatures that most often come with. We are working with our partners, like the Pennsylvania public utility commission. To raise awareness on additional assistance that may be available for out of work pencil. And with that, I will pass it off to Madam chair to trial. Thank you, Madam Secretary, I really do appreciate the opportunity to be here with you today, to give some general information to consumers about where they can find assistance and helping pay their bills. I want to highlight 3 points here today. The 1st is this year, more than ever, we encourage families to explore options available to them keep them safe, warm and connected to essential utility services. We're moving into winter and today's the 1st day of winter of this very unprecedented year. And we encourage our utilities consumers, businesses and advocacy groups, and all other concern parties to work closely in the coming weeks and months to help those that are struggling. 2nd thing I want to point is that there are several layers in terms of protection for consumers that families can look at who may be struggling to pay their utility bills and doesn't include the PCs enhanced protections for residential customers and small businesses. They also include the traditional winter shut off moratorium to income qualified households, other assistance options like utility payment plans to address past due balances budget billing. The help prevent a large month month swings in the size of bills. There's hardship programs out there, energy, conservation programs and other referral services. There's also the federal program, which is the federally funded low income home energy assistance program and there's a host of voluntary steps that have been taking individually utilities. We know that last year utilities across Pennsylvania spend about 391M on PPC required customer assistance programs, not counting the federally funded lie hate program. So, collectively, these utility programs breach over 290000, electric customers and approximately 160000, natural gas, customers, reducing monthly, energy bills, promoting and improve other improvements to help energy, cut energy consumption as well as supporting hardship programs. The 3rd point that I want to bring today or underscore today. Was getting connected to these programs may just be a phone call where it may just be that easy. So we encourage you to reach out to your public utility today. We know that, there's some people that have been applying or looking for assistance for the 1st, time this year. So it's just as easy as reaching out to use utility utility program to look for some type of assistance. You don't have to be an expert in it. Because our public utilities have that information, they have a team of customer service representatives that are trained to identify and the solution that may be able to help you and your household, as part of this year's prepare. Now, campaign, the PCs urging utilities to work, even more closely with households and businesses, we're encouraging them to look at income qualified customers who may apply for customer assistance programs are eligible customers, especially those who may not have been reached in the past year should apply for assistance. 4 programs that may be designed to make energy bills more affordable, which include our customer assistance program, but also the low income usage reduction programs and budget billing, we're also encouraging our utilities to remind households about the lie. He funds that I just spoke about grants, enter lie. He, or hardship funds may be available to the struggling families. And the new season just began November. 2nd. We're also encouraging our utilities to exercise flexibility and leniency, especially during this hard time when establishing payment arrangements plans for all consumers and considerations should be given to circumstances such as loss or reduced income, extended illnesses of a household member or increased household size and accompanying expenses. We encourage our utilities to educate consumers because information about conservation and waste reduced energy usage should be made available to all consumers and encourage charitable support increasing corporate donations to and fundraising for utility hearts of funds. And other community based programs can assist consumers who may need help with our utility bills. So, in closing, I just want to say, as we continue to grapple with the health and financial impacts of this pandemic. We know that there are households across the state facing the uncertainty and stress of worrying about their utility bills, including those who may have never experienced problems before. So I urge everyone in that situation. Just pick up the phone and call your public utility as soon as possible to learn what options are available for. You don't wait for the past to bill. Don't wait for any termination notice because we don't want to get it. We don't want it to get to that point. Just continue to reach out to utility and work with them. Look for a plan for you. We also encourage you to look out for your neighbors and friends. If someone is experiencing problems, please pass on this information to them that what they should do. 1st is call their utility. And I'm here to answer any questions. Thank you very much Madam chair to trial for that. Very timely and important information for utility consumers. I have to admit there was some information you provided that I was not even aware of. So thank you very much before we take any questions. I want to remind you of assistance that may be available through other agencies for Pennsylvania into, or out of work who have had their hours reduced due to coven 19. 1st, we have food banks and pantries, which can be found across the state helpful list of these and other food assistants resources is available on the Pennsylvania Department of agricultural website. That web addressed is W. W. W dot agriculture dot. Gov. And when you get to their web page, please click on food security also. Health and other essential needs are available through the Pennsylvania Department of human services at W. W. W, dot DHS dot. Gov and this includes resources for Medicaid. The children's health insurance program also known as Chet. The supplemental nutrition assistance program also known as snap. The childcare works program, which also provides subsidized child care and also the temporary assistance for meeting families also notice talent. Additional resources and tips, including financial help with credit cards, mortgage, or rent. And mental health resources are available by clicking on the coven 19. W, W. W. W. dot. I'd like to thank you all for participating today. Madam chair to travel, and I are now available to take your questions. Thank you, Madam Secretary, we're now entering the Q and a portion of today's call as mentioned previously, today's calls focused on providing information about other forms of assistance available to UC claimants who may lose federal poa and benefits on December 31st with a particular focus on the services that the Pennsylvania public utilities commission provides. So, if you have questions on that topic, please submit them now, using the chat icon in the lower right hand side of your screen. Please be sure to include your name as well as your media outlet along with your questions. We don't appear to have any right the 2nd, so we will pause just the moment for some to come in. Okay, our 1st question is from Joe, from the Tribune review. Based on the experience with the cares that passed in March, can you. Just 3rd, based on the experience of the cares passed in March, can you offer prediction as to when the state might get guidance on new. Stipulations for distributing the money. Could that be early next year? You know, so I have to say, from previous experience with the Department of labor, they have been providing us with fairly quick information in rolling out additional programs. I know that we are working with other sister States since we're not alone in this. Pennsylvania is not unique in our situation we are all working together with other states in the federal department of labor, and making sure that we get the information that we need so that we can expediently roll out the new extension and benefits required by this new code relief bill. Okay, it looks like our next question is from Bill killer. Um, I believe from the altuna mirror, would you expect that a person in need of utility help would find it easy to reach the pertinent utility company? I thank you for the question, and it has been very easy to reach them using any information they would have on their bill in terms of a customer assistance hotline. And if they are having problems, we also have a hotline and a bureau of consumer services, and they can reach out to the PC as well. Okay, do we have any other questions at this time? It's just going to pause for a 2nd and see if anything else rolls in. Okay, and we have Aaron Martin from W. Do you expect to see an increase in people utilizing these other service resources? Since guidance from the Department of labor on the latest care's funding could come after December 31st. Madam Secretary, if you don't mind, I can answer it from the point of view, in terms of utilities. What we have seen as we've been asking our utilities provide us with monthly information to show the comparison from last year at this time to this year. And we have seen an increase in the amount of collectibles, a number of people that have not been able to pay their bill and we've seen an increase in the income range in terms of mostly our programs previously, where, before those that are 150% and below the federal poverty income guideline. That is the reason why we have in our order in October, at the PC, put protections in place for those households that are 300% and below the federal poverty income guideline. Because we have that seeing that increase in need in terms of individuals or households, not being able to pay their utility bills. So we do see that and that's why we're emphasizing in the comments I made today. We have plans out there with our utilities that make sure that people are not cut off our order right now provides. People individual households are working with their utilities they will not be cut off before March 31st 2021 so there are protections out there. There has been an increase in need in terms of household as well as a higher levels of income. Our next question is from Megan from CBS, 2001, for secretary barrier at the beginning of the cobit pandemic, there were issues getting unemployment benefits to people and need back. Then it was the pmo funding system. Didn't jive with the state's unemployment system. How will this work now? And will this new round with this new round of stimulus? How long will it take people to enroll and get their money? Thank you Teresa, we are currently awaiting additional guidance on how that additional funding would work. I recall back when the through the FEMA funding system, that was a different mechanism than the previous additional compensation that was rolled out in late spring, early summer. So, right now we don't have a lot of information, but we are. Definitely looking to acquire that information as quickly as possible. So we can. Figure out how that impacts how we are going to be rolling out the additional assistance that people will be receiving. Our next questions from the PO, as reporters, Sam's are what guidance are you giving utility companies for how they should be working with clients when you say working together for assistance? What does that look like? In general, the utility companies have a great plan and consumer service. In place already what our order provided is the, the framework in terms of the protection for income. Level in terms of the household, what we have been saying, because they are reporting into our bureau consumer services is how each of the companies is looking at their distribution area and working with them. I see many of them that have different commercial ads. Many of them are also reaching out to the individual households directly. That was part of the order that they would have to give them notice in terms f any changes in protection and also notify them. And so many companies are reaching out to them. Whether it's by phone call somewhere, even going to putting knocker hanger on their door and say, hey, just reminder just call us. So they're being very unique in terms of the different ways to reach out to their consumers. Okay, it looks like we are now entering the 2nd round of questions so I encourage and reporters to have additional questions at this time to police submit them now, follow up questions from Sam's on the P. O. S. reporter is that monthly information from utilities available to reporters. That monthly information is going to be on the pc's website as part of the docket number from the original order in October. So, yes, okay. It looks like that's all of the questions we have today. So, I'd like to thank both of our guests for joining us and if you have any additional questions that we're not answered during today's call, please email them to us at communication office at D. I press at dot Gov, thank you. So much for joining us this morning and stay. Well. Thank you thank you.