On November 21, 2008, Congress passed and the president signed into law an extension of unemployment benefits, for long-term unemployed workers.
Unemployment is administered by the states, and each state handles it differently. Some states are asking people to apply for the extension. Others are using a "don't call us, we'll call you" approach. Comments I've received here at WorkforceDevelopments.com suggests that there's a fair amount of confusion among workers and beneficiaries.
While I can't answer specific questions, I have put together a list of links to every state agency (plus DC) administering unemployment benefits. Most offer specific guidance on the unemployment extension, how to apply and how to determine if you're eligible. For those states, I've linked directly to that information. For the rest of the states, I've linked to their general unemployment information. Here's the list, in alphabetical order:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawai'i
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington DC
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
If you find any mistakes or broken links, please let me know.
Additional information for workers and consumers is available at UnemployedWorkers.org, including this useful Know Your Rights guide. Good info on unemployment for policymakers and practitioners is available and updated regularly at the National Conference of State Legislatures; check this update from December 18, 2008.
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