Posted: Monday, July 26, 2010
SALEM, Ore. -- About 109,000 Oregonians will benefit from the unemployment extension signed into law Thursday. KLCC's Angela Kellner reports.
After a standoff between Democrats and Republicans the unemployment extension finally got enough votes to pass Congress. It will help people who have been out of work for six months or longer. Craig Spivey is with the Oregon Employment Department.
Craig Spivey: "The people who are really going to be affected by this legislation are people here just about to run out of their regular 26 weeks benefits and those already on the emergency federal program."
In Oregon that equals about 107,000 people. Their benefits will automatically renew as long as they continue looking for work. An additional 2,000 Oregonians who have older claims can now begin receiving emergency unemployment compensation. Last week, the average unemployment check in the state was $285.
Copyright 2010 KLCC.