Report: 1.2 Million Americans Set to Lose Unemployment Benefits in March

[babylonsister]

http://washingtonindependent.com/75815/report-1-2-million-americans-set-to-lose-unemployment-benefits-in-march

Report: 1.2 Million Americans Set to Lose Unemployment Benefits in March
By Mike Lillis 2/4/10 2:38 PM


As Congress weighs its plans for tackling the nation’s enduring jobs crisis, the National Employment Law Project today laid out the stakes of inaction: Nearly 1.2 million Americans would lose their unemployment benefits next month unless Congress steps in to extend the filing deadline. By July, that number jumps to almost 5 million.

Under current law, unemployed folks have access to 26 weeks of state-sponsored insurance benefits before four separate tiers of emergency federal benefits kicks in. Confusing the arrangement, recipients must exhaust their current benefits before filing for the next tier. Trouble is, the filing deadline for all tiers is at the end of February.

The result? Roughly 380,000 workers currently receiving state benefits will miss the chance to apply for federal help, NELP estimates, while another 814,000 currently getting federal help wouldn’t be able to enter the next tier.

“Congress must swiftly act to maintain the lifeline for millions of jobless Americans caught in the undertow of record long-term unemployment in this ongoing downturn,” Christine Owens, NELP’s executive director, said in a statement.

There’s every indication that lawmakers will do just that. In December, the House passed a $154 billion jobs bill, including $41 billion to extend the UI filing window by six months. More recently, President Obama unveiled a budget proposal that includes $49 billion (roughly a seven-month extension) for the same purpose. “The Administration will propose legislation for later transmittal to extend the Emergency Unemployment Compensation and Extended Benefits programs,” the budget states.

And Senate leaders on Thursday outlined their plan to tackle the jobs crisis, which included mentions (but no specifics) of a UI extension.

[Vincardog]

1. I lost my Unemployment Benefits in 2001.

[prolesunited]

2. You can't have 1.2 to 5 million people losing their benefits at once

You think things are bad now, just wait.

Where are the jobs?

[tonysam]

3. More, and people need to read this

The bill under discussion Thursday would also extend unemployment payments for those whose benefits have run out, and would renew a program that offers the jobless a subsidy for health insurance premiums under the COBRA program. About $33 billion in popular tax breaks that expired at the end of 2009, including an income tax deduction for sales and property taxes and a business tax credit for research and development, would be extended through 2010.

link


I seriously doubt Congress is going to dump millions of people off of UI.

[OhioChick]

4. K&R n/t

[ipaint]

5. Approaching 6,000,000 on EUC tiered benefits

States reported 5,632,219 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Jan. 16, an increase of 281,442 from the prior week. There were 1,839,758 claimants in the comparable week in 2009. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/current.htm