Unemployment benefits extended in state

Published on Monday, December 01, 2008

Eligible unemployed job seekers will receive up to 7 additional weeks of unemployment benefits as a result of recent congressional action. This extension is on top of the original 13 week extension established by Congress in July, bringing the total extension to up to 20 weeks.

The second extension is effective the week of November 23, 2008. It applies to all claimants who have exhausted the initial Emergency Unemployment Compensation extended benefits and file a claim by March 28, 2009.

While the new bill provides federal funds for up to 13 weeks of extended benefits in states with higher unemployment, unemployed job seekers in Massachusetts are only eligible for 7 weeks because the Massachusetts unemployment rate is below the 6.0% level necessary to qualify for the second tier extension.

“Congress passed this important extension of unemployment benefits for those individuals looking for work,” said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Suzanne M. Bump. “While our state is fortunate that the unemployment rate in Massachusetts continues to be lower than the national rate and we have continued to add jobs this year, this second round of extended benefits is critically important to those families that have been struggling to find work for so long in this economy,” she said.

The Division of Unemployment Assistance began notifying eligible claimants and providing paper applications by mail as of Monday November 24, 2008. More information and future updates about the extended benefit program will be posted on the DUA website, www.Mass.gov/dua.