Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Gov. Minner Announces Addition of 13 Weeks of Unemployment Insurance Benefits
Dover – Governor Ruth Ann Minner announced today that unemployed workers will be eligible for up to 13 weeks of additional unemployment insurance benefits through a program that will run through the beginning of July 2009.
The change is a result of President George W. Bush’s June 30 signing of the 2008 Supplemental Appropriations Act. Title IV of that legislation created the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program for those unemployed workers who have exhausted their regular state unemployment insurance benefits on an initial claim filed May 7, 2006 or later.
“This is excellent news for unemployed Delawareans who are still searching for jobs and could use additional assistance,” Gov. Minner said. “Given the current state of our national economy, job searches are likely to take longer than they would if the economy was thriving.”
According to the legislation, these benefits will be available from the week ending July 12, 2008 through the week ending July 4, 2009.
“Notices about the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program will be mailed this week to approximately 9,700 Delawareans who may be entitled to these additional benefits if they are currently unemployed,” said Delaware Department of Labor Secretary Thomas B. Sharp.
Delaware Unemployment Insurance Director Tom MacPherson estimates that an additional 575 to 650 individuals may become eligible to receive these benefits each month as they exhaust their regular state unemployment insurance benefits.
