Michigan has the dubious honor of highest unemployment rate in all of America. At 15.1% as of October, it leads the pack by a full 2 percentage points. Nevada (13.0%) and Rhode Island (12.9%) are the next highest state and California is the next large state at 12.5% unemployment rate.
The reason the unemployment rate is so high in Michigan is because of the concentration of auto and parts plants in that state. This industry was part of a high-profile government bailout and GM ended up going bankrupt anyway. Needless to say this provides for a spike in unemployment as the auto sector will probably take a while to stabilize.
Fortunately the federal government has authorized and funded several unemployment benefit extensions this year and the recent bill H3548 extension is the latest (and probably not the last). These extensions are part of the national stimulus package for 2009.
Michigan unemployment benefits are as follows:
- EUC Tier 1 – 20 weeks (7 weeks plus 13 weeks)
- EUC tier 2 – 14 weeks (used to be 13)
- EB – 20 weeks
- EUC tier 3 (new with bill H3548) 13 weeks or 19 weeks (if unemployment rate is greater than 8.5%)
This adds up to a total of 99 weeks.
The new benefits were originally planned to start in mid-December:
“We still anticipate that payments will begin on this new extension by mid-December,” Isotalo said. “Letters should be going out with information and instructions about the new extension and what people need to do to report for these new benefit payments” by Nov. 25.
In actual fact payments have already started for Michigan residents and many will get their checks starting just after Thanksgiving Day weekend.
The way things are set up now – these latest extensions will expire at the end of the year which means that not many people will get the full 20 weeks. You need to use the tier 3 up before Dember 31, 2009 in order to get tier 4 which at this point is difficult to do. There have been reports in the press that congress will be looking to extend the expiry date before the end of the year.
“Now that we have acted on the extension, we must quickly take up legislation to continue the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program itself, otherwise millions will be left without this important insurance come January,” concluded Rep. Levin.
“The action today responds to the needs of 100,000 in Michigan and one million people nationwide who have exhausted their benefits or will have exhausted them by the end of the year,” said Rep. Levin. “With six people competing for every available job, unemployed workers need insurance to feed their families and pay their bills.”
In Michigan there are 99,000 people who would have run out of benefits by the end of the year without the latest extension.
Unemployment benefit information for other states
Florida unemployment benefits extension - 20 more weeks.
Will New York add 13 more weeks of unemployment benefits?
New York extends unemployment benefits by 13 weeks
Will Tennessee add 20 weeks of unemployment benefit extension?
Ohio unemployment benefits extension - 13 more weeks
Texas Unemployment Benefits Extension - 13 more weeks
Unemployment benefits extended in 2009 stimulus package.
Bill H3548 - 13 week extension for high unemployment states.
Kentucky Unemployment Benefits Extension - 20 more weeks.
Illinois Unemployment Benefits Extension - 20 more weeks.
Michigan Unemployment Benefits Extension - 20 more weeks.
California Unemployment Benefits Extension - 20 more weeks.
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In Michigan, the agency has put out a recording and has made it impossible to reach a live person. Although I’ve certified, no payments were made and online information on my account is nonexistent. I’ve found the only way to reach the agency is through my state representative and senator’s office, who arrange a call to you from a UIA worker. They’ve had weeks to prepare for this while the Bill was stalled in congress, and the result is haphazard and zero ability to communicate with them.
Track HR 4183 to extend benefits to Michigan’s jobless. This measure extends unemployment insurance to Michigan residents through March, 2011. This action reauthorizes ARRA (as requested by NELP) and the thousands who would lose benefits without this necessary legislation.
For more information, visit: http://usunemployed.blogspot.com/2009/12/jim-mcdermott-introduces-legislation-to.html
http://usunemployed.blogspot.com is now recognized on Google News Reader and is posting up-to-the-minute information regarding the latest extension!
The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote this Wednesday on the second omnibus bill which will include HR 4183. The measure will be paid with unused TARP funds in an effort to gain bipartisan support for easy passage this week. This is considered “must pass” legislation because most know it will also include 2010 Defense Spending and funding for other domestic programs.
This action will extend unemployment benefits which Congress has already approved past the 12/26, 12/31 expiration dates into 2010.
The official statement from Steny Hoyer is at http://usunemployed.blogspot.com