NIT – Over a million Americans – and nearly 4,000 Iowans – will lose unemployment benefits today as a federal program that cuts checks for the long-term out-of-work expired December 28th.
Nearly another 1.9 million Americans will be denied access to the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program during the first six months of next year, Democratic Senators said this month. In Iowa, 3,952 jobless people will be cut off from unemployment insurance at the end of this year and another 18,200 will exhaust their state benefits between January and June with no other program to turn to.
Normally, people may qualify for 26 weeks of unemployment benefits, paid to that person as a fraction of their previous amount of pay. According to the Washington Post, Congress created the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program to provide additional aid to workers when their state benefits ran out. Many states offer up to 63 or even 73 weeks of unemployment aid, and benefits average around $300 a week. Most Iowans may receive unemployment insurance benefits for up to 26 weeks, and in some cases 39 weeks.
“For millions of families, unemployment benefits are a crucial lifeline that allows them to pay bills and put food on the table while they look for new work,” Iowa Senator Tom Harkin said. “Our economy is still continuing to recover, with 4 million Americans out of work and looking for a new job for at least 6 months. This aid not only helps these families, but it also helps the businesses and communities where those families live and shop.
Plans have been introduced in Congress to extend the benefits, but so far, none have made headway.
The Iowa unemployment rate is now at 4.4%. “The Iowa job market appears to be on a path of steady and sustainable improvement,” said Teresa Wahlert, director of Iowa Workforce Development. There are now 19 unemployment offices in Iowa where people can go to seek job placement assistance.
Democrats plan to introduce legislation in January to revive the program. It has been reported that the plan would cost about $25 billion for a year.
@Philosophus-Fighting a war in our military is a lot different than farming and you know it. You are not even close to comparing apples to apples. If you really want to discuss options in California maybe you can tell us why they have the highest unemployment in the nation but still employ millions of illegals. And they are not just on the farms as you are aware. They are in yard care, housekeeping, restaurants and thousands of other jobs that can be held by U.S. Citizens. Of course they won’t do that because they don’t want to pay a living wage. They can screw all over the illegals and they don’t dare complain because they would get deported. When we were in California the minimum wage was unbelievable and all of the factory’s paid only minimum wage. There were three and four family’s living in one house because that was the only way they could afford a house. The rich get richer on the backs of the working people.
good now 1/2 the lazy fu—-s might have to get a gob
If there ain’t any jobs why do we have 11 million Illegals running around? And thanks to Obama millions more on the way.
@Bobby G.-ii million is a old number from 4 or 5 years ago. It is closer to twenty million now.
And what about the military? Do they get an automatic free pass from you when they recruit foreign nationals to fight in the US military, and then give them citizenship at the end of their tours? And sometimes they don’t. Is that okay use of foreigners?
If the person really wants to be a US citizen then yes there is no problem with that, they have been doing that for years.
As far as the designation status of illegal versus legal…that’s all in a title bestowed upon them by whomever fancies themselves in control. They are all foreign nationals legal or illegal.
So if the military needs them to fight a war, Maybe says it’s okay. If someone in California needs them to work on their farm…it’s not okay…according to you and your selective principles.
I think you miss understand what I said. I am talking about a person that wants to come to america legally, he is not a citizen yet but joining the military is 1 way of becoming a citizen.