With California’s jobless rate is declining, the state will no longer qualify for the final unemployment insurance (UI) extension, from 63 weeks to 73 of UI benefits.
California’s unemployment rate has been falling three consecutive months. It was seasonally adjusted at 9.6 percent in March, 9 percent in April, 8.6 percent in May, and now 8.5% in June.
With a three-month moving average below 9 percent, the federal government will not pay the final 10 weeks of unemployment extensions for those who file after August 11. However, people who are currently on their final 10 weeks will not be affected. About 100,000 Californians who are on their third tier of extensions will be affected.
At the height of the recession, a person could qualify for $40 to $450 up to 99 weeks. However, today, people can qualify for extension checks from $32.94 to $370.40 up to 73 weeks, but all federal extensions will expire on December 28, 2013 regardless of the remaining weeks people have left for UI benefits.
Horn, Jonathan. “Last unemployment extensions all but gone.” U-T San Diego. July 16 2013.