Wash.: About 25,000 to lose unemployment benefits
About 25,000 in Wash. to lose federal emergency jobless benefits at end of month
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) -- State officials say that an estimated 25,000 unemployed workers in Washington state will lose their benefits at the end of the month.
Officials with the Employment Security Department said Thursday the workers affected are currently receiving unemployment benefits under the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, which ends on Dec. 28. Currently, under the federal program, 37 weeks of emergency unemployment compensation is provided after workers exhaust regular state benefits.
The state's regular unemployment benefits, which run 26 weeks, will remain available for Washington workers who haven't already exhausted them.
The federal program was activated in July 2008, and has paid out about $6.3 billion to more than 452,000 jobless workers in Washington state, officials say. Congress has extended the program several times in past years, however, state officials say there's no indication it will be reauthorized again.
