Increase in Unemployment Benefits

There will be an increase in weekly unemployment benefits, which was included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The increase in the unemployment benefit will be an additional $25 weekly, though the increase is temporary and is funded by the United States government. Plus, the package will also extend the term for the Federal Compensation program, which was scheduled to expire in August 2009, but will now be extended for four months.

“Both the Emergency Unemployment Compensation and the Federal Additional Compensation programs provide temporary financial support to unemployed workers to help them pay for basic necessities such as food, clothing, medicine and gasoline while they look for new jobs,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis, from the U.S. Department of Labor.

To receive federal funds, workers must be eligible to receive unemployment benefits from their state.

The Dept. of Labor will begin making payments at the beginning of March 2009. For more information, visit their Web site at http://www.dol.gov.

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