Extension of unemployment benefits duration
On Nov 21st President Bush signed into law a bill that Congress approved to keep unemployment checks flowing to jobless Americans through the holiday season.
The legislation provides seven additional weeks of payments to people who have exhausted their benefits or will exhaust them soon. Those in states where the unemployment rate is above 6 percent will be entitled to an additional 13 weeks above the 26 weeks of regular benefits. Benefit checks average about $300 a week nationwide.
This extension will help unemployed Americans looking for jobs. However this is not a blanket rule, and states such as Virginia that have lower unemployment rates do not offer the extension.
The benefits provided would be in addition to 13 weeks of federally funded extended benefits Congress approved last June.
Unemployment insurance is a joint program between states and the federal government that is almost completely funded by employer taxes, either state or federal.
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