With the nation’s unemployment rate at a 26-year high, having just exceeded the dreaded 10% mark, on November 5, 2009, Congress passed the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act (the “Extension Act”). 

The Extension Act will provide another 14 weeks of benefits to all out-of-work people who have exhausted their benefits or will do so by the end of the year, estimated at nearly 2 million. Those in states where the jobless rate is 8.5% or above will get an additional 6 weeks of benefits.  The extra 20 weeks could push the maximum a person in a high unemployment state could receive to 99 weeks, the most in history. 

According to a survey made by the National Employment Law Project, about 1 million jobless people would have been without benefits by the end of this year if the Extension Act had not been passed.

This newsletter is a publication of Nochumson P.C. and is intended for general information only. It should not be construed as legal advice with respect to any particular situation, and readers should not act upon information contained in this newsletter without first consulting an attorney. Copyright © 2009.