It seems there is some confusion about the latest rounds of extensions this week coming from Congress. What Congress is doing this week only extends the filing dates available for those seeking the existing Tiers and EB program. This is great news for someone laid off in 2009 or this year, but for the worker laid off in 2008 or earlier on their last tier - this is very upsetting.
To restate this. 99 weeks is still the maximum benefit amount.
Will this change? If we ask Congress specifically for it, perhaps.
There is a void out there of information. Major news outlets are reporting this as an extension (which it is) - but it is more a change of enrollment dates for persons who lost their jobs within the past year.
Even unemployedworkers.org is not being clear to the public about what this action this week in Congress means for the unemployed.
Other blogs and comment sections are posting opinions and what a senator may have said off the record by telephone. But the fact remains that Congress will soon take a break in April. If extensions for the long-term unemployed are not granted before this break, it could be up to two months before the Senate even presents a bill that helps the long-term unemployed.
US Unemployed is gathering more information to see if a bill to add a tier has even been introduced. If anyone out there has any information, please post it in comments.
Keep contacting your representative and ask specifically for an additional tier of unemployment benefits.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
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