LOS ANGELES (YBH) - With an estimated 15.7 million Americans out of work and an unemployment rate of 10 percent, Washington is addressing the job needs of the unemployed with a jobless benefit extension. In November, the Senate and House passed a bill to extend federal jobless benefits 14 weeks extra for Americans in all 50 states who face benefit cessation before year-end. If you live in a state where unemployment is 8.5 per cent or higher, you can get 20 weeks extra.
Government Extends Benefits
It all adds up to a potential 99 weeks, almost two years on unemployment. The benefits will be paid for by an extension of a set-to-expire payroll tax on employers. Studies have shown the longer a person is out of work, the lower their chances of finding work, or settling for a lower-paying job. State by state benefits vary widely, as low as $320 a week in Missouri, as high as $628 a week in Massachusetts. In continental Europe and the U.K., benefits top out at 18-24 months, with demonstration of job-seeking a requirement as the clock ticks down. France and Germany offer 57-67 per cent of the unemployed person’s salary, while in the U.K., the benefit amounts to about $110 a week.
An estimated 2.3 million people are on permanent “incapacity” in the U.K., collecting the benefit indefinitely due to medical reasons such as depression.
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Laura spent years as a Hollywood story analyst, did a big 180, and is now an entrepreneur focused on web marketing and analytics. She's also a mom of one.
