March 18, 2003

ROMNEY ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES EXTENDED JOBLESS BENEFITS

Additional Federal provision will further aid laid-off workers

Chief of Commerce and Labor Robert Pozen today announced that an additional extended unemployment insurance benefits program will be in effect for laid-off Massachusetts workers beginning the week of March 23, 2003.

This is due to a provision in the federal law extending jobless benefits for up to 13 additional weeks beyond the current 13 weeks of extended benefits when states meet certain eligibility standards.

“This will provide needed financial relief to some of our fellow citizens who are facing tough economic times,” said Pozen.

Those who exhaust their original federal extended benefits after March 16, 2003 will be eligible to collect unemployment benefits for up to 13 more weeks.

The Division of Employment and Training (DET) is notifying affected claimants and automatically placing them on this extension. DET estimates that about 1,500 people per week are exhausting their regular extended benefits and that these additional benefits will help as many as 20,000 individuals in the Commonwealth.

The current federal extended benefits law restored by Congress in January of this year is set to expire on May 31, 2003. Individuals have until then to file for extended benefits.

Those collecting their additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits at the time of the law's expiration date will be able to continue collecting their 13 weeks of benefits even if some of those weeks fall after the expiration date.

For information on filing for extended unemployment insurance benefits, log on to the Division Employment and Training website at www.mass.gov/det.