- Growing economy weakens federal jobless benefits for Idaho, other states, By Jessie L. Bonner (AP), April 9, 2012, Idaho Statesman: “The state Department of Labor says long-term unemployment benefits in Idaho will be gone after Dec. 31, though some people will be cut off sooner depending on when they started receiving the federal assistance. Regular benefits last up to 26 weeks and are paid by the state, but two long-term programs that are funded by the U.S. government are triggered on and off by Idaho’s jobless numbers. Labor spokesman Bob Fick says the first program, known as emergency unemployment compensation, will shrink from 53 weeks of benefits to 13 weeks. The second program, known as extended benefits, currently pays up to 20 weeks but will be completely eliminated..”
- Unemployment down, triggers benefit cuts, By Christopher Quinn, April 9, 2012, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “Georgia’s dropping unemployment rate has triggered a cut in federal unemployment benefits. About 15,000 people will lose a final 20 weeks of extended unemployment benefits April 21. Those losing their unemployment insurance payments this month have been without jobs the longest. They are drawing checks from the last of six layers of state unemployment and federal extensions that can stretch to nearly two years…”
- Nearly 8,000 Wisconsinites to lose extended jobless benefits, By John Schmid, April 5, 2012, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “Wisconsin will discontinue long-term unemployment insurance benefits to 7,761 state residents Saturday because the state’s unemployment rate has dropped below a threshold that automatically phases out a federal program that pays for the benefits. At issue are an additional 13 weeks of extended benefits that augment other existing tiers of federally funded unemployment insurance…”
Poverty-related issues in the news, from the Institute for Research on Poverty