Stimulus Unemployment Benefits Update: VA, FL, ME, OH, IN…

Updates on how states’ legislators are moving on the UE benefits money in the stimulus:

OH: (TimesBulletin)

…Ohio is one of 13 states plus the District of Columbia that is missing out on federal stimulus funding for extended unemployment benefits. State legislators would have to make a change in the law to make those who have reached the end of their already-extended unemployment benefits eligible for up to 20 more weeks of benefits.

… A provision in the stimulus bill would cover the extension of benefits beyond the first phase of 26 weeks and the second phase of 33 weeks, but that provision kicks in only for states that average more than 6.5 percent unemployment in a three-month period. Those states would receive funding for 13 weeks of benefits, and if the rate clears 8.0 percent for a three-month period, another 7 weeks are available.

…, 16 states and Puerto Rico already qualify for the extended benefits program under one of the program’s provisions: Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Alaska, Connecticut, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Washington qualify for 13 weeks of benefits.

Oregon and Rhode Island already qualify for 20 weeks of extended benefits. As a result, about 405,000 workers in those states will qualify for extended benefits when their EUC benefits expire between now and June.

States that would have to change law to allow workers to receive the extended benefits besides Ohio are: Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, and Tennessee.

(more…)

March 25, 2009. Tags: Economic Stimulus, economic stimulus unemployment benefits, Economy, IN stimulus unemployment benefits, ME stimulus unemployment benefits, OH Stimulus unemployment benefits, Stimulus Package, stimulus unemployment benefits, stimulus unemployment benefits florida, Unemployment, Unemployment benefit expansion, unemployment benefits, VA stimulus unemployment benefits. Economy, Politics, Taxes, Unemployment Statistics. 28 comments.