A program that extended unemployment benefits for thousands of people is about to end.
The Federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program is scheduled to expire December 29, 2012.
The program was last extended in February 2012 under the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012. It provides additional federal unemployment benefits for workers who were still unemployed after the usual 26 weeks of state benefits ended.
It is possible the program could be extended as part of the “fiscal cliff” legislation being debated in Congress.
Iowa Workforce Development says more than 83,000 people are still unemployed across the state and about 34,000 of those people receive some unemployment benefits. About 7,900 receive benefits under the EUC program.
People who receive the extended benefits will be contacted by mail.
Iowans can get unemployment and job search assistance at http://www.iowaworkforce.org/.
Illinoisans can get unemployment and job search assistance at https://illinoisjoblink.illinois.gov/ada/.
