Senate Must Act to Extend Jobless Benefits
It’s been more than a week since thirty-two U.S. Senators signed a letter (pdf) calling for the Senate to extend unemployment insurance programs and related COBRA subsidies through the end of 2010.
Last month the House passed the Jobs for Main Street Act which would provide a six-month benefits extension. House Republicans unanimously opposed it.
As of this writing, Senate legislation including this immediately urgent need has yet to be announced.
One million unemployed workers will lose their jobless benefits next month, and according to the National Employment Law Project (NELP) millions more will follow unless the Senate acts quickly to extend the benefits programs included in last year’s Recovery Act and in December’s two-month extensions. Twenty-six states have already run out of unemployment funds and another eight states face imminent insolvency.
The urgency posed by the approaching February 28 end of extended federal jobless benefits and COBRA subsidies is made even more acute by the massive increase in long-term unemployment, and the fact that last year 20 million Americans benefited from receiving jobless aid.
It’s time to take action. Tell the Senate to extend unemployment insurance benefits and COBRA subsidies. Legislation needs to be approved quickly and signed by the President by February 21st so that states do not start shutting down their payment systems. Call the Senate at (202) 224-3121 and tell your Senators to extend the jobless benefits programs now.
Tags: jobless benefits extension, unemployment
A Tier V NEEDS to be added. There are many people that have been out of work for 1 yr, 18 months and some almost 2 years.
I have been unemployed for 18 months, am 61 years old and worked my ENTIRE LIFE. I am on my last extension and if a Tier V is not added I will run out of benefits next week. What are people to do???
The government MUST add a Tier V or what is going to happen to people like me in this category. I have used up much of my savings and 401K plan and have TRIED endlessly to find employment. Who says age discrimination doesn’t exsist?
I live in a suburb of Chicago and the unemployment figures for my town is 14.1 for the month of December.
This needs to be addressed NOW as the states will be changing their computer systems back over and if they don’t pass a Tier V or the extensions by February 12th there is a good chance there will be an interruption of receiving checks on a timely basis.
Thank you
Karen W
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Karen -
You are right. And your voice and needs are being heard. In its latest posting at unemployedworkers.org the National Employment Law Project (NELP) is including this in its advocacy work in Congress. Note the last point in this:
The Message: Your Senators need to know:
· how important it is to extend these programs through the end of 2010 because we all know that unemployment will remain high throughout the rest of the year;
· that you need the certainty of this safety net for the rest of this year;
· that there is NO BETTER economic stimulus for the communities in which you live and that the benefits you receive and spend will both save and create jobs.
· And for those of you nearing exhaustion of all levels of your benefits, they need to know that once this extension is passed, they will need to address the issue of adding more weeks for the most long-term of the unemployed.
The urgent legislative extension of the current programs is to be followed by a necessary extension of eligibility and payment duration.
Thanks for your comment. If I can make a suggestion, please share your story on the unemploymentlifeline’s forum:
http://www.unemploymentlifeline.com/forum
and at NELP:
http://unemployedworkers.org/page/s/uistories
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Thank you Mitchell for all the info. I think the more groups pertaining to us we belong to the better. Together we stand, divided we fall. A very loud outcry is once again needed. There are so many out of work, hard working Americans, who have and continue to do everything in their power to get another job and survive that it is really ludicrous of the gov. to ignore our pleas and when they do we should let them know about it when it comes voting time. I’m not really a political person as I feel all are alike in many ways in being out for themselves and leaving the backbones of this country out…hard working, tax paying Americans. Instead of sending billions of dollars everywhere else let’s keep it right here at home and help those who need it most. How come Washington can come up with exorbitant amounts of money for non-American issues and when it comes to helping it’s own deserving Americans we have to crawl and beg for what should rightfully be ours? It doesn’t make sense. If America fell to disaster how many of these countries that we fund would come to our rescue?? None!!!!
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It is great to discuss the extensions but little is said about the Tiers that need to be added. Without that information people are very confused and think that the “extensions” represent added tiers. Those who are on their last Fed-Ed extension of 6 weeks will NOT be eligible for anything unless the Senate passes a bill ADDING more tiers to qualify people for extended benefits. What was passed yesterday only guarantees people who have more tiers available will get them. Those of us who have or are about to end all Fed-Ed Tiers will get nothing more. Millions of us will literally be out in the cold. Add Tiers to last throughout 2010 and then we will not have to keep going thru these misunderstandings and frustrations created by Washington and the media. It needs to be explained exactly as it is happening and who is and is NOT affected by each action.
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I’m with ya’ Karen. At 68 it is impossible to get a job even with a degree and background as a professional for many, many years. It sounds great when they extend benefits and it is but that doesn’t add Tiers that those of us who are out of Tiers need added. Add another Tier 5 that will last until Dec. 31, 2010 and then there won’t be all this questionable BS. But then of course Congress/Senate wouldn’t have us to pick on would they? Oh yeah….discrimination is alive and well but employers can find many reason NOT to hire anyone and they do.
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I also think they need to address workers laid off at the end of August 2009. In New York, if you were laid off after August 24, 2009 you get 26 weeks unemployment, that’s all ! I believe this inequity needs to be addressed, we are in need too, having been laid off in some of the highest time of unemployment. Extensions only being given to those out the longest are not fair……my bills will not go away when my unemployment ends in March !!!! Give me the same year and half that others have had !
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I agree with other post stating that it is not fair to give people who have been out two yr more if you can’t give people off less time the same extensions. Also take note who always opposes any kind of help for the people, the good ole GOP. I belive it is more their fault than the democrats because they pushed for deregulations back when Reagan was pres and have always backed the rich and big business with law changes and tax cuts. Please explain to me why billionares need to pay less taxes. I would gladly pay more taxes if I were a billionare who made their money breaking the backs of hard workers working for them and then only to toss them out so they could make more money by moving my jobs and many other to China Mexico etc, . Remember as Bush said outsourcing is good for America.
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I agree with nydarling. Those of us who were laid off at the end of August 2009 get 26 weeks unemployment, which ends this month. What about us???
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I am at the end of Tier 3 and was told by the unemployment office here in Wisconsin we are NO longer eligible to receive any more benefits past this.. OK I’m a little freaked out, confused as to what I’m suppose to do next. I am a 54 yr. old woman who has worked my ass off all my life and now to be kicked to the curb because the company that I worked full time layed off over 700 people with no call back, I picked up a part time job and was layed off from that one. These people in Washington need to get a grip on the real issues at hand.. Lets start with age discrimination. I’ve checked into going back to school well thats not going to happen either, at my age I’m suppose to take out student loans and have to pay back $90,000. for a 2 yr. education. This world is messed up. I could get hit by a car tom. and who’s stuck paying those loans. I have no more savings,no health insurance, barely making the house payment and other bills..What are we suppose to do out here where there are no jobs. Yes our unemployment rate went down to 8.3 but in Milwaukee there are no more factorys they all moved over seas or to Mexico. Government and Congress don’t care about the little people there sitting pretty and they have no clue what it’s like to look for jobs every day 5 hr.s a day. I’m educated in my field and thats the most frustrating thing, they’ve elimanated alot of those jobs.. I’m to old to even get a job at McDonalds, now thats a joke. I’ve written to washington called my Senator and Governor what more can we do.?
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Thanks to all of you for your profoundly important comments and stories. I am told that your stories and questions are being reviewed by knowledgeable staff at Working America.
One of the best resources I have found for detailed information on eligibility for the various Tiers of EUC and Extended Benefits is available at this link:
http://unemployedworkers.org/sites/unemployedworkers/index.php/content/pages/have_a_ui_question_ask_the_expert
A reading of that information seems to indicate that many of you may still be eligible for additional unemployment benefits — all the more reason for them to be extended.
In Solidarity,
Mitchell
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For anyone who feels that us long term unemployed have gotten to collect MORE benefits and it’s not fair to YOU to be cut off without collecting the rst of the tiers:
You HAD a job and were earning an actual paycheck while we’ve had no other income other than UI which means we’ve had to collect a small percentage of what we earned when we had jobs. Believe me, I’d have RATHER been working and not counting on less than $400 a week to pay a mortgage, bills and food.
WE ALL need to either get jobs or get the measly Unemployment INSURANCE check. Without it, we’re ALL doomed.
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I’m not disputing that I was working while others were unemployed. Furthermore, had I found a job in the past 20-some weeks I would not be here posting. That didn’t happen, and now with more people being laid off, plus college graduates vying for jobs now looking ahead, what am I supposed to do NOW?
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What are you supposed to do now? Pray that our Government faces the truth and does the right thing - issue unemployment check to all of us until we’re able to find another job.
Most of us who have been out of work for 18 months or more have eaten (literally) our way through our savings, 401k accounts and maxed out our credit cards trying to keep a roof over our heads.
You will do whatever you have to do to keep afloat.
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As of today Wisc. Unemployment rate hit 8.7 and we are still not eligible for any other benefits.. Our percantage went up 4 points in 2 days. Ya! the economy is getting better what truck did these people fall off of???????????????
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Mr. Reid is playing with people’s lives, this is uncalled for. What the hell is 15 days going to do for any of us that are exhausting our benefits going to do..1.4 million people will be without ANY money coming in including myself. This isn’t a joke anymore. By March I’ll have to let my house go into forclosure, I’ve already cancelled my car insurance and called all my debtors. Myself and thousands of others are in the same situation and this is not only depressing its a damn shame that I have to walk away with nothing after I worked all my life to get what we have. I won’t be voting for anyone- any more. They can sit on Capital Hill and run and ruin our lives so they can live in the finest of homes and pay there bills when WE can’t. I’m angry that the US Government can’t and won’t help those who once had jobs and money coming in, and NOW without JOBS or MONEY.
HOMELESS in WISCONSIN
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Contacting your elected officials is a must BUT equally important is contacting your local media with your stories. Call, email, fax, and be heard. Many legitimate media outlets were confused about the recent proposed / approved 30 day extension of unemployment benefits and many still are unaware that the present 30 day extension results in millions loosing all benefits because of no Tier V. Ask them if they understand that MILLIONS will be without ANY benefits once Tier IV (for those eligible) is paid out. Talk about pending foreclosures, no auto insurance, more without health insurance, tapped out 40lK’s / savings, and survival plans being made to either move in with relatives or live in cars after all benefits are used. Remind them that MILLIONS more will be following in your foot steps. At present there are FEW legitimate media outlets reporting this serious economic catastrophe facing our already dismal economy. Start quoting http://www.nelp.org’s and http://www.unemployedworkers.org site statistics. Give them FACTS with your HUMAN INTEREST information. I’ve written the NY Times, Chicago Sun Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Huffington Post, ABC, CBS, NBC, and CNN as DC keeps abreast of their reporting and each news outlet has an enormous readership. (If you Google Tier V or any variation of update on it you will realize how few reliable media outlets actually are aware of our plight). The news story about the unemployed did NOT end with the 30 day extension, nor should it end if dates of existing Tiers are extended until the end of the year. Not when MILLIONS will be with NO benefits as a result of us not making it our business to advise, prompt, and follow-up with legitimate media outlets of our frightning financial future without benefits of a Tier V. Thanks!
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What’s next?
As many of you have noted, this bill does not add any weeks of benefits to the EUC program. Unfortunately, the Senate was not willing to consider an expansion of the program while still trying to continue the basic benefits through the end of the year. NELP is working on an effort to directly address the historic needs of the long-term unemployed, including extra weeks of benefits, targeted job creation programs and other helpful measures.
This is great but it looks like a LONG haul for those of us ending Tier 4. Without another Tier we are doomed and God only knows how long it will be before Washington will even consider discussing adding another Tier. Millions of us will be without any benefits come the end of March or first week in April. The media is still spurting crap about unemployment not getting worse but there are thousands of layoffs every day that the media reports. This morning CNN had stats about how 2.2-4.4 million jobs have been created, a comparison for 2 years. I’d sure like to know where they are because I can’t find one to save my soul. Keep yelling, calling Washington, etc. We have to keep up the pressure in hopes that Washington will wake up and realize that WE did not create being out of work…they did by giving away our jobs and country to foreigners and Washington is full of them too.
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I totally agree with you, and I’m scared Wisc. doesn’t have Tier 4, I’m at the end of 3.. Now what- and how fair is this to those that have pounded the pavement looking for a job. Here we go again.. As of April 1-There will be millions of us NOT receiving ANY benefits. I’m tired of fighting this, and so frustrated that WE get kicked to the curb.
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