Unemployment: No Extended Benefits For People Laid Off From Now On

WASHINGTON -- After this week, workers laid off through no fault of their own will not be eligible for any of the generous extended unemployment benefits layoff victims have received from the federal government since 2008.

States typically provide the first 26 weeks of unemployment insurance and Congress has provided extensions during every recession since the 1950s. But the current extensions, which give the unemployed an unprecedented 73 additional weeks of aid in some states, are set to expire at the beginning of January.

"There's a real potential cliff coming for unemployed people," emailed Judy Conti, a lobbyist for the National Employment Law Project, a worker advocacy group. "The federal unemployment programs all expire at the end of this year. This means that anyone who is laid off on July 1st or later, will ONLY receive state benefits unless Congress acts to keep these needed programs up and running."

It's not incredibly likely that Congress will be in the mood to keep these programs up and running. Even when Democrats controlled the House of Representatives last year, Republicans and conservative Democrats in the Senate caused delays every time the aid needed to be reauthorized. With Republicans in control of the House, additional federal spending to support the economy will be even less popular. (Earlier this year, the GOP pushed a bill that would allow states to redirect federal funds for jobless benefits.)

Spokesmen for Republican leaders in the House either did not comment or did not respond to requests for comment for this story.

In December, Democrats only managed to preserve the benefits through this year by attaching them to two years of continued tax cuts. Several Dems grumbled that the benefits would be in trouble come January 2012.

"The rich get everything they wanted," Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) told HuffPost in December. "They don't care about the other stuff because they know it will all go away. The unemployment benefits -- we're gonna be fighting that one this time next year, right in the middle of when [Republicans] are in control. What chance do we have then? Zero."

Nearly 4 million people are currently collecting benefits under the federal programs, according to the latest data from the Labor Department. As of May, 6.2 million people had been out of work for six months or longer. The average unemployed person had been out of work for 39.7 weeks.

Federal unemployment benefits have never been dropped with a national unemployment rate above 7.2 percent.

"Quite frankly, this will be nothing short of a disaster –- for those workers and their families, and for local economies across the country," Conti said. "It's not too early for Congress to hold good-faith and open-minded negotiations about how to keep these federal programs up and running until the economy recovers enough, and creates enough jobs, that the programs are no longer needed."

Comments

[Rottnkid2000]

12:34 PM on 08/01/2011

It's gonna go down when the Teabaggers UE benefits run out. I for one can't wait for the shoe to be placed on the other foot.

[Edwina Montgomery]

04:00 PM on 07/06/2011

Reference unemployment - I have read this article a few times, but it came more into mind today. Last evening 7/5/11 I heard on TV , that over $17 million of unemployment was paid to people who were in jail, working and other ineligibilities. And then the people who are really trying and are making every effort to find work can't get any extensions. This is an outrage. I believe the employees of the agencies at "fault" should loose their jobs with no unemployment benefits. I understand that when we had the $8,000 home tax credit the same thing happened. It soulds to me like we are sure WAISTING A LOT OF MONEY. These things seem to go unpunished or unnoticed. Everyone is in an uproar over the lack of money in these desperate times. If we can throw away money to people in jail and people not deserving to draw unemployment then why not print more money. I need to work, and if jobs are opened for people who have not worked in several years, then I need unemployment.

[danglines]

11:41 PM on 07/05/2011

Billions for foreign bribes, but nothing for Americans. How unpatriotic.

[dimplesmile7]

06:02 PM on 07/05/2011

The republicans know exactly what they are doing to America. They are helping their donors because of monetary purposes. The rich have money to make the President a one-termer. The GOP also want to punish women, unemployed, minorities, immigrants, middle class and gays for supporting the President in 2008. This is exactly why it is easy for them to turn their backs on the people that are suffering the most. In their minds, anyone that supported the President does not deserve their help. This is exactly why the GOP must go in 2012. We need people that will work for America, not slackers holding political office.

[Tom Hendricks]

12:34 PM on 07/05/2011

This makes the grass roots idea of National Hiring Day that much more important for these hard times. It would help both workers and corporations.
There is a solution to the jobs problem and it could quickly put hundreds of thousands of people back to work. It is not pro left or right. It is not from any corporation, it's outside the government control, it's totally voluntary, and helps all with little sacrifice from anyone.
National Hiring Day #4 is suggested for July, 2011. This is a day that corporations are encouraged to hire new employees. Corporations are called on to put patriotism first and help their country in hard times. Those corporations that cannot hire, are asked to stop firing for that month.

[Hotness]

01:01 PM on 07/05/2011

Who comes up with this stuff?

[Tom Hendricks]

11:56 PM on 07/06/2011

I can promise you it wasn't a millionaire! This was my idea.

[fortressfountain]

10:22 AM on 07/05/2011

People are better off in Canada, Finland and a lot of the Eurpopean nations. Here in the USA you are expected to spend billions educating yourself and then told time and time again you need to be re-educated. You are expected to accept low wages even if you are a teacher or a physician and at the same time pay high tuition costs.
If you finally purchase a home it must be sold to pay for medical costs.
What a crock.
Yet people keep coming here and having children. No party wants to stop this because they want to see the system collapse.
Welcome to Slavery 2012.

[Archangel 2020]

01:13 PM on 07/04/2011

I find it interesting in these dire economic times, that none of our elected officials on either side of the aisle has offered to take a cut in pay or reduction in their taxpayer funded healthcare benefits but yet they can cut benefits for workers who lost their jobs through no fault of their own. Looks like we're well on our way to becoming a banana republic.

[Tom Hendricks]

12:36 PM on 07/05/2011

Agreed. What do you think of the grass roots idea outside of the government stalemate entirely called National Hiring Day? http://wp.me/p5S9X-nv

[Cybershaman]

08:15 AM on 07/11/2011

I think you'd have an easier time convincing a school of piranha to carry you safely across the Amazon river.

[Ottis Reid]

01:41 PM on 07/08/2011

Excellent point! Its time for all these elected BOZOS to walk the walk that they are talking about for the rest of us. Let them pay for their own health care and no pension either. They can start their own 401k plan like they expect us to do.

[Archangel 2020]

01:49 PM on 07/08/2011

Thank you and I agree with the points you made 100%! They expect us to make sacrifices they are unwilling to make.

[John Steinsvold]

10:17 PM on 07/03/2011

An Alternative to Capitalism (which we need here in the USA)

Several decades ago, Margaret Thatcher claimed: "There is no alternative". She was referring to capitalism. Today, this negative attitude still persists.

I would like to offer an alternative to capitalism for the American people to consider. Please click on the following link. It will take you to an essay titled: "Home of the Brave?" which was published by the Athenaeum Library of Philosophy:

http://evans-experientialism.freewebspace.com/steinsvold.htm

John Steinsvold

[demilieu]

04:26 PM on 07/03/2011

The new cottage industry: making cardboard 'Will Work for Food' signs. Every time a door closes, a window opens up. So, it's time to jump!

[Hotness]

04:20 PM on 07/03/2011

Just read this from a whiney niner site: "Many of the 99ers, including myself and many other of our Admins/Moderators and members fought and emailed, faxed, called and tweeted tirelessly to get 4213 passed last year". Ahh you may have did all that you claimed but you were not the ones that turned the worm so to speak -- it was on the table and with the agreement to extend the tax cuts it was always going to be passed. Nice try, but stop with the distortions, no one cares what you are doing.

[fred reiss]

01:06 PM on 07/03/2011

Don't these Republicans have anyone in their states who have lost jobs, lost benefits? Are they just cardboard figures for the top? Can it be more obvious? If they want to cut benefits here's my suggestion: when a congressman or Senator gets voted out they lose all their benefits too. None of these guys who are kicking the less fortunate have any skin in the game.

[fortressfountain]

10:58 AM on 07/03/2011

This is punishing the people for the sins of the politicans and corporations. Jobs are still shipped overseas, once and a while they will act like they actually want to help people obtain jobs-they really do not care.
More corporate control of ss, schools, and churches.
MOre propanda of how people should want to sacrifice for the young-yet subprime college loans to help the banks.
Do not buy, take out loans or help in any way to enrich the corporate machine.

[99er2049er]

10:52 AM on 07/03/2011

Once again the republicans have everything A$$ backwards, from economics to morality. You create the worst recession since the great depression, millions of people lose their jobs, so how do you help the people survive, you cut off their unemployment benefits??? Are you kidding me? This is the lowest form of morality I have ever seen. I hope the republicans remember this in 2012. Remember, not just democrats lose jobs, but republicans as well. If you are a republican and you lose your job, remember to punish the republican party for going after your benefits, all while giving billions and now trillions to the wealthy.

[kizzie]

06:48 PM on 07/02/2011

Start taking our country back by signing this petition to amend corporations being considered a "person" so that they cannot buy our rights away from us.
PLEASE sign and make an effort to gain fair rulings in our country.
Movement to Abolish Corporate Personhood Gaining Traction:

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/07/01-14
It's a start to correcting the injustnesses we are enduring.

[votingthistime]

08:27 AM on 07/08/2011

"Movement to Abolish Corporate Personhood Gaining Traction:"


And while you're at it, kizzie, the notion that money=free speech should be addressed as well.
For all his faults, putting President Obama in a position to appoint more
Supreme Court justices is a compelling reason to support his reelection.
We've got to change that 5-to-4 vote dynamic that predictably sides with
corporations.

[Barry Dennis]

05:07 PM on 07/02/2011

How about extending them only for people enrolled in a community college job skills retraining program (hopefully in patnership with local employers and with specifications provided by prospective employers who will offer jobs to those who successfully complete the re-training)
And, add to that the funding available under the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers provisions in existance since the 1970"s, modified to make sure that job re-training partnerships are confined to workers and jobs in one state, to be used for there-training partnerships.

[cutesky]

06:29 PM on 07/02/2011

A big problem with your solution is that community colleges all over the country are in such bad fiscal condition that they have cut many classes and too many instructors. YOu can't win no matter what!

[Barry Dennis]

07:18 PM on 07/02/2011

That's just not true.What is true is that too many Community colleges have been infested with "mission creep" delusions of grandeur, wherein they imagine themselves as St. John's or Harvard of Yale or premier state universities. Cutting classes in basket weaving, and similar make-work-for-unqualified-teacher/instructors seems a good priority.
THIS COUNTRY NEEDS A RE-ORDERING OF PRIORITIES AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION; we're falling behind developed countries and even some LDC's in Health Care, Education at every level, and overall leadership.
By so doing, they dilute their basic mission, which is to prepare for vocations, not avocations; and prepare for four-year college degrees (two additional years in a major).
I personally think that if we want to improve our system, two years of community vocational/college prep should be required, plus of 2 years of community service/military service-NO EXCEPTIONS, except for complete disability.
And, while I'm at it, Community colleges ARE working in partnership with enlightened local business on job specifications for vocational training and re-training, which could be included under the Worker Assistance provisions of the Trade Acts.
Recent history and experience indicates that community colleges could actually be the salvation of Trade problems dislocating workers, unemployment problems, and, if wrapped into a business-driven comprehensive system, provide a way out of poverty for many.
We CAN win!

[djtejas]

11:20 PM on 07/02/2011

Another problem is that under current unemployment rules, education cannot get in the way of your job searches and interviews. You must also take any job offered and quit school even if it is below unemployment benefits.

[99er2049er]

11:02 AM on 07/03/2011

I can tell you even after getting a degree, companies weren't hiring me. I was pounding the pavement 7 days a week. Perhaps a more specialized training school like those you see on tv teaching you how to be a mechanic or a dental assistant might more quickly land you a job than a bachelors degree. These are expensive, e.g. $12000 a year, but the government does have grants to help pay for some or most of these programs if you don't already have a degree and fall into poverty categories, then again, watch the republicans cut that aid as well.

[glossy go]

05:23 PM on 07/12/2011

They're trying to do that with the Pell Grants now. Where does someone who gets financial aid go to 26k a year school? You can't get 26k a year to go to school? If you are allowed the maximum financial aid, it means you likely have zero and can't get a loan. How are all these 'under privileged' going to big time schools?