Benefits on the Line for Millions of Unemployed
The Senate Finance Committee is preparing a jobs bill that would combine job-creation tax credits for businesses with only a three-month extension of the expanded federal jobless benefits now slated to end later this month, sources familiar with the proceedings said today.
Details thus far are scarce, but committee chairman Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) is said to be working to get bi-partisan support. Let’s hope the Senators keep in mind that they must extend jobless benefits before the February recess, otherwise one million unemployed Americans will lose their benefits March 1, and millions more will follow.
A three-month extension of the emergency (EUC) and extended (EB) jobless benefits, as well as COBRA health subsidies, is far better than no extension at all — for sure. But 15 million Americans are out of work, long-term unemployment is soaring, and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates (see sidebar) that unemployment will remain high for years:
CBO expects the unemployment rate to average a little over 10 percent for the first half of 2010, and it will probably not dip below 9 percent until 2012.
Clearly, extending the jobless benefits through 2010 is what’s needed, and a majority of Democratic Senators agree.
There is a strong moral imperative to providing support for the millions made jobless by the Big Bankers’ Great Recession. But there are clear economic benefits for doing so as well. Unemployment insurance payments help save and create jobs in the communities where they are spent. Economist Mark Zandi of Moody’s Economy.com estimates that for every $1 in unemployment payments, the economy gets a $1.69 in stimulus. The Economic Policy Institute has warned that without continued jobless benefits through 2010 another 800,000 Americans could lose their jobs.
Don’t let the lifeline be cut off!
Take action to tell Congress it’s time to extend jobless benefits through 2010, create jobs for the 15 million unemployed and put America back to work.
Tags: jobless benefits extension, unemployment
I am 52 and have been unemployed since 11-07. I am down to my last unemployment check if a tier 5 is not put in place asap. I will be homeless by months end with no where to go and no way of paying my bills, what should I expect?
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Dear dcarter08 -
Where do you live? What was your employment before 11-07? Please let me know and I will try to communicate your situation to (hopefully) those who are listening.
But, look — we are not going to have a real solution to the massive jobs crisis in this country without a mass movement demanding Jobs for America Now!
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There are millions in the same position. I am one of them. At 69 I cannot get a job and I look, apply and send resume’s just about every day. Employers find ways to keep Seniors off their payrolls. I have applied for counter jobs, maids and you name it. I am a professional by trade but am willing to do about anything. I read on Senatus that the new creating jobs bills has a provision in it to extend UI benefits and also Cobra. For how long it doesn’t say but benefits must be extended throughout this year as jobs will not get better until at least early next year. The media lies constantly about how good the economy is. Of course, they are still getting six figure pay checks. Hheellllloooooo?! I am supposed to get benefits in CA. until end of March but the balance on my check stubs say differently and good ole CA refuses to anser questions about how we are going to get the next 6 weeks that has been made law. Keep fighting for ourselves is about all we can do. After paying taxes into this system most of our lives we should not have to fight like this. Foreigners who come here have barely if ever paid taxes and they get the same and more than we do. Felt the bite of that more than once and that is one of the HUGE problems. Foreigners taking our jobs. Just because you have a piece of paper saying you are a citizen DOES NOT make you an America. Born, bred and raised here, ancestors from here and paid taxes here does.
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Out of work since Dec 2007 and about to come to the end of the line. Moved from CA to TN to have a better chance at a job with no such luck.
If no Tier 5, no house or food. Will have to file bankruptcy. Had to give up COBRA due to out of state move and couldn’t afford conversion policy. NOW WHAT?
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I just received Tier 3. Backpay. So I am done with this tier. I was told by a good source from the state of WI UC that there is going to be a federal extension in April for everone for 6 weeks.
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I was told this morning from WI.UC that we arent able to receive the 6 wks extensions, OUR unemployment rate is 8.3…It needs to be 8.5 or higher.. I’m also at the end of Tier 3 and scared. We’re not getting any straight answers but to keep on filing..Thats fine, but it’s not bring any money into my home so I can KEEP it, pay my bills,food and utilities.. I don’t understand why they just don’t go ahead and just pass the damn bill so we can rest easy and keep trying to find WORK.
Hang in there~I know this is hard, it’s wearing on me too.
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What we need is a massive public school stimulus in which any unemployed college educated worker can sign up and get a tutoring job half time for $1500/month. This would help students tremendously. In some neighborhoods, children have never even met college educated people except for their teachers and doctors and nurses. In addition, there should be a massive addition of teachers and day care workers for autistic children and other children with behavioral problems. People without college degrees could help out as the dare care and evening care workers. This could be added to the school construction bill. Older workers need to be able to sign up and get work without being the employer’s Chosen One. The children will benefit from the extra help from the older workers. If workers on a public school stimulus were also give state employees’ health insurance benefits that would also help alleviate the health care crisis. What the Senate is doing now isn’t enough. The proposed administration cutbacks of education are a mistake. Also, dumping more standards requirements on the states will only hurt employment because the states can’t afford to make the improvements and therefore they will have to waive federal funding.
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I am looking for job.I am unemployed for sometime.I don’t know what to do.Please anyone help me.
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I’m so Lost in all of this-Ending Tier 3 Wisc. Benefits and scared out of my mind as what to do next. I’ve applied for countless jobs and NO hits. In 18 months I’ve had 2 interviews.. YIPPIE.. At 54 companys basically see us as a risk and don’t and won’t hire us. I know that the government can do so much but by March ends over 3 million people will be with out a check.. This 3o day stopgap is to extend ONLY those that have exhausted Regular benefits..I’m worried sick as what I’m going to do.. Lets all pray n hope that come April 5 they don’t delay and pass a yr. long extension. It’s not easy out here and fearful of loosing it all including my sanity.
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