Since late 2008 millions of Americans have suffered through the worst recession the United States has suffered since the Great Depression. In an attempt to revitalize the poor economic status of the country, Congress and President Barack Obama passed the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009. This “Stimulus” bill and other efforts from Washington D.C. were meant to not only help stem the tide of rising unemployment and the demand on unemployment insurance, but to also help the growth of certain sectors of the economy.
While the debate over the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act goes on, millions of Americans remain out of work and dependent on unemployment benefits of various kinds. Since 2008 Congress has enacted several pieces of legislation meant to extend the availability of unemployment insurance for those who need it. For many citizens they are eligible to receive up to 99 weeks of benefits before they are forced to go without. During the summer of 2011 Congress passed laws in conjunction with the fight over the federal budget and debt ceiling. Those laws included the mandate that individuals who were not yet receiving unemployment compensation would not be eligible for the 99 weeks of benefits unless they were already on welfare on or before December 31, 2011.
However, late in December of 2011 Congress yet again modified unemployment claim laws to allow for individuals to qualify for 99 weeks of benefits provided that they submit their completed unemployment application on or before March 6, 2012. Check with your particular state’s department of unemployment (which may also be known as the “department of labor” or “department of employment”) for more information.
Source: ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/supp_act.asp
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