This lethargic economy dropped Thirty six Thousand positions in Feb while the country’s joblessness rate kept at 9.7 % with the month, the Labor Department informed us on Friday.

In January, unemployment dropped from 10 to 9.7 percent. The February report revised estimates on job losses in January to 26,000, up from the 20,000 initially reported. It also issued revised numbers for December, reporting that 109,000 jobs were lost that month instead of the 150,000 initially reported.

The monthly statement stated serious winter weather storms past month could have impacted payroll employment and working hours worked, however it’s complicated to know the particular weather’s influence.

Financial forecasters forecasted February’s figures could be depressing due to 3 wintertime storms which wreaked chaos on the East Coast past month, and Obama administration authorities looked for at the start each week to minimize anticipation.

While the work marketplace stays "seriously stressed," the particular February review is constant along with "gradual labor market healing" which has found within the last month or two, Christina Romer, the chairwoman of Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, said in a Friday statement.

Goldman Sachs had forecasted that up to One hundred,Thousand positions could possibly be shed in Feb due to the climate. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration rated two on the 3  one of the 25 highest-impact Northeastern snowstorms of the last half-century.

The typical workweek for many workers dropped in Feb by .1 hours, in accordance with the report. That figure might have been suffering from employees who couldn’t reach work due to storms or whom found their companies shut due to weather conditions.

Because businesses usually increase hours for current employees prior to employing fresh employees, economists are searching for gains within the typical workweek in order to indicate extra hiring through companies in the foreseeable future.

Construction, a field that may be suffering from the poor weather conditions, dropped work, while employing in producing was continuous.

In a note concerning the influence from the climate, the Labor report stated employees would need to be off for a whole pay interval to not be within the record. Additionally , it observed that clean-up and restoration actions working with the thunder or wind storms and their consequences could have resulted in extra employees or even more hours by current employees.

Temporary businesses continued to increase employees in Feb. Which is seen as being a optimistic indication for the labor marketplace, because the employing of short-term employees can be a precursor to businesses employing long term employees.

The report arrives a day following on from the House approved a $15 billion measure that could provide tax breaks to firms which employ workers. The Senate, that previously passed a comparable measure, will consider the House bill.

President Barack Obama has stated job opportunities are going to be his administration’s No. 1 focus in 2010, even as Democrats proceed their lengthy attempt to change the U.S. medicine and health system.

Republicans utilized the report in order to state their own assaults in opposition to Obama’s healthcare push.

  Up to 20,000 jobless Nevadans could soon lose their benefits if Congress fails to act,The National Employment Law Project says states will be forced by law to begin notifying jobless workers this week of the end of their weekly checks in March. The law project estimates 6,681 Nevadans will exhaust their benefits without additional extensions by Congress.Bill Anderson, chief economist for the state’s division, is predicting the job market "will likely worsen in the months ahead."

The Nevada Employment Security Division was closed Monday for the Presidents Day holiday and representatives could not be reached for comment.  Maurice Emsellem, policy co-director of the National Employment Law Project, said, "State agencies are working more than double time to get this financial lifeline out to unemployed workers, their families, and their communities."

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that provides unemployment checks to the jobless is set to expire and workers will stop getting payments in March.  Nevada’s unemployment rate in December climbed to a near-record 13 percent with an estimated 176,000 persons jobless.

Get in Contact with your Representative, and tell them how important it is to extend your benefits

Nevada

• Berkley, Shelley, Nevada, 1st
• Heller, Dean, Nevada, 2nd
• Titus, Dina, Nevada, 3rd

The National Employment Law Project (NELP), which conducted a national and state-by-state estimate of workers who will have no funds to keep them afloat until they can find a job if Congress does not enact an extension of unemployment insurance benefits included in the ARRA that expires at the end of February, showed that 1.2 million American workers will be left stranded by March, and that about 5 million Americans will experience the same fate by June.

In the state of Ohio 49,620 workers will have exhausted both their regular state benefits and exhausted their federal benefits. Come June 2010, that figures is expected to expand to 206,050, which if it were city would be larger than Dayton (166,179) but slightly smaller than Akron (217,000). Imagine those numbers.
Last November, the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services announced the signing of a law by President Obama that extended unemployment compensation benefits so that eligible jobless Ohioans may receive up to an additional 20 weeks of benefits.

With Unemployment in Ohio, now at 10.7 percent, is the highest since the early 1980s.Long-term unemployment is entrenched and has surpassed previous recessions.  Starting on February 19th, state agencies that administer unemployment benefits will be forced to notify workers that the program will be shut down by the end of month, as required by federal law. Thus, if Congress doesn’t reauthorize the programs before their recess on February 12th, this deadline will create chaos for the state agencies and workers facing an uncertain future.Extended unemployment benefits program is funded 50 percent by states after ARRA expires. The trigger for the program is 6.5 percent unemployment and increasing unemployment expected to remain in effect through June 2010.

New jobs bill could be vehicle for new jobless benefit extension

Reports on the content of a new jobs package bill said central piece of the plan would exempt companies from paying the employer’s share of Social Security payroll taxes for new hires — as long as those people had been unemployed at least 60 days.
A recent Congressional Budget Office report estimates that the idea could create up to 18 jobs per $1 million in tax relief, a more efficient way to boost hiring than provisions in last year’s $862 billion economic stimulus bill, experts said. The $10 billion plan could create perhaps 50,000 to 90,000 jobs through September and another 80,000 to 180,000 jobs next year.

If you are collecting unemployment, or know someone who is, then this is something you should be worried about.  YOU must act to either contact your representative by https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

or contact U.S. House of Representatives directly. 

• Austria, Steve, Ohio, 7th
• Boccieri, John A., Ohio, 16th
• Boehner, John A., Ohio, 8th
• Driehaus, Steve, Ohio, 1st
• Fudge, Marcia L., Ohio, 11th
• Jordan, Jim, Ohio, 4th
• Kaptur, Marcy, Ohio, 9th
• Kucinich, Dennis J., Ohio, 10th
• LaTourette, Steven C., Ohio, 14th
• Latta, Robert E., Ohio, 5th
• Kilroy, Mary Jo, Ohio, 15th
• Ryan, Tim, Ohio, 17th
• Schmidt, Jean, Ohio, 2nd
• Space, Zachary T., Ohio, 18th
• Sutton, Betty, Ohio, 13th
• Tiberi, Pat, Ohio, 12th
• Turner, Michael, Ohio, 3rd
• Wilson, Charles A., Ohio, 6th

Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ken.) objects to one-week extension of unemployment benefits , suggesting instead that the Senate take up the bipartisan jobs proposal unveiled earlier in the day by Senators Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), which includes extensions of unemployment insurance and COBRA subsidies.

"Now, I know my friend and colleague is going to offer some scaled-down version of that shortly, but if we offered instead the Grassley-Baucus amendment, which was filed earlier today, that would include the unemployment extension," said McConnell.

Reid did not accept McConnell’s suggestion — he had already rejected the Grassley-Baucus jobs proposal.

"Let me just add that unemployment insurance does not expire until February the 28th," said McConnell. "We’ll be back on the 22nd and hopefully we’ll have sufficient time to work on an acceptable extension."

Judy Conti, a lobbyist for the National Employment Law Project, doesn’t even want a one-week extension. She said a one-week extension would lead to more brinkmanship in Congress and chaos in unemployment agencies — not to mention anxiety for benefits recipients.

  An estimated 65,000 Illinois residents currently receiving unemployment benefits stand to lose their payments by the first week in March if Congress doesn’t authorize another extension before Feb. 27. According to the National Employment Law Project. 
Another 290,000 unemployed workers will lose their benefits by June.

The federal government funded several tiers of unemployment extensions, totaling 73 weeks, on top of the state’s regular 26 weeks of unemployment benefits. The federal funding was part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and was set to expire Dec. 31, but Congress crammed a two-month extension into a military spending bill. That funding authorization expires Feb. 28.

You should contact your Representative, tell them your concerns, let them know how this will affect your family, and how it will affect your voting and your neighbors voting.  Remember Democracy

• Bean, Melissa L., Illinois, 8th
• Biggert, Judy, Illinois, 13th
• Costello, Jerry, Illinois, 12th
• Davis, Danny K., Illinois, 7th
• Gutierrez, Luis, Illinois, 4th
• Foster, Bill, Illinois, 14th
• Hare, Phil, Illinois, 17th
• Halvorson, Deborah "Debbie", Illinois, 11th
• Jackson Jr., Jesse L., Illinois, 2nd
• Johnson, Timothy V., Illinois, 15th
• Kirk, Mark, Illinois, 10th
• Lipinski, Daniel, Illinois, 3rd
• Manzullo, Donald, Illinois, 16th
• Quigley, Mike, Illinois, 5th
• Roskam, Peter J., Illinois, 6th
• Rush, Bobby L., Illinois, 1st
• Schakowsky, Jan, Illinois, 9th
• Schock, Aaron, Illinois, 18th
• Shimkus, John, Illinois, 19th

The federal extension of unemployment benefits is set to expire at the end of February, although it is likely to be extended by Congress later this month. State agencies are going to start sending out letters next week letting people know that their unemployment benefits are about to expire. While the Senate takes a break next week, the federal extension of unemployment insurance and COBRA health insurance subsidies for laid-off workers is set to expire the end of this month.

Congress will probably pass an extension before Feb. 28, some people will nevertheless receive letters telling them they’re not eligible for the next "tier" of benefits.  Please keep an eye on the news to see if it is going to be passed.  Now is a good time to contact your state representatives, and ask them to help pass this bill..

US Senators and Representatives from Michigan

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United States Senate

Deborah Stabenow
E-Mail Senator Stabenow

Carl Levin
E-Mail Senator Levin

United States House of Representatives

Michigan 1st
Bart Stupak (D)
stupak@mail.house.gov

Michigan 2nd
Peter Hoekstra (R)
E-Mail Congressman Hoekstra

Michigan 3rd
Vernon Elhers (R)
www.house.gov/writerep

Michigan 4th
Dave Camp (R)
E-Mail Congressman Camp

Michigan 5th
Dale Kildee (D)
E-Mail Services

Michigan 6th
Fred Upton (R)
E-Mail Congressman Upton

Michigan 7th
Joe Schwarz (R)
Email Form

Michigan 8th
Mike Rogers (R)
http://www.mikerogers.house.gov/Contact.aspx

Michigan 9th
Joe Knollenberg (D)
E-Mail Congressman Knollenberg

Michigan 10th
Candice S. Miller (D)
www.house.gov/writerep

Michigan 11th
Thaddeus G. McCotter (R)
E-Mail Congressman McCotter

Michigan 12th
Sander Levin (D)
slevin@mail.house.gov

Michigan 13th
Carolyn Kilpatrick (D)
www.house.gov/writerep/

Michigan 14th
John Conyers, Jr. (D)
www.house.gov/writerep

Michigan 15th
John D. Dingell (D)
E-Mail Congressman Dingell

Last year’s stimulus bill provided up to 53 additional weeks of federally-funded unemployment benefits (broken into several tiers) and a 65 percent subsidy of COBRA health insurance.  If allowed to expire at the end of the month, nearly 62,000 out-of-work Michiganders will exhaust their unemployment benefits in March, according to the National Employment Law Project.

The unemployment compensation benefit was triggered because the unemployment rate in Montana among workers in jobs insured by the unemployment program hit 5 percent this month. Usually The overall seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the state of Montana was 6.7 percent in December.

The most recent extension is in addition to other emergency federal extensions of unemployment benefits already in place.

In general, unemployed workers qualify for up to 28 weeks of benefits in Montana. After those 28 weeks expire, Federal emergency benefits, which are paid for with federal funds, already are in place to help the people of Montana while they look for a job during this recession.

Individuals eligible for the extended benefits can expect to receive up to a maximum of 13 extra weeks of federal EUC benefits.

Extended benefits are paid at the same weekly benefit amount as the regular claim,  allowing people in Montana added relief during this prolonged recession.

NEW Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) Extensions
November 2009 (Revised 11/16/09)

Two new EUC extensions were passed by Congress and signed by the President on Friday, November 6, 2009. In summary, the new law:
• Adds up to 1 additional week to EUC Tier II (total of 14 weeks);
• Creates an EUC Tier III for an additional up to 13 weeks of benefits; and
• Creates an EUC Tier IV for high unemployment states, such as Michigan, for an additional up to 6 weeks.

Who is Eligible, How Will They Be Notified, and What Needs To Be Done?
• Those who exhaust their Extended Benefits (EB) in 2009 may qualify.
• 70,000-80,000 unemployed workers who have exhausted all unemployment benefits may qualify.
• Payments will be made retroactive to the new EUC extension’s effective date of November 8, 2009.
• If you have exhausted all benefits:
• UIA will begin mailing informational letters, complete with instructions and predeterminations, on or about Wednesday, November 18, 2009.
• Begin contacting MARVIN (telephone or online) during the week of November 23rd (Thanksgiving week) to claim the up to 1 additional week from Tier II.
• Contact MARVIN during the week of December 6, 2009, to certify for three weeks of Tier III (the up to 13 weeks tier).
• If you are currently collecting state unemployment, EUC Tier I, Tier II, or Extended Benefits (EB):
• Continue to report using MARVIN.
• UIA will mail redeterminations to those on Tier II and EB, by November 21st,2009.

Important Notes:
• EUC Tiers I–IV have expiration dates. As of now, all EUC benefits (Tiers I-IV) are due to expire 12-31-2009. If you are already collecting EUC benefits that week, you may continue collecting the weeks for which you are entitled. You will be unable to begin the next EUC tier after that week – the week of expiration. Note that the popular media is reporting the possibility that Congress may extend the expiration dates yet this year. You may apply for EB, if the EB extension program is still available.

Current Unemployment Programs:
• State regular unemployment provides up to 26 weeks of benefits, based on a worker’s earnings prior to becoming unemployed.
• EUC Tier I began in July 2008 and provides an unemployed worker with up to 20 weeks of federally funded unemployment benefits, once they exhaust their state benefits. EUC Tier I = 80% of a person’s state unemployment benefits, up to 20 weeks.
• EUC Tier II began in November 2008 and provides up to 13 weeks of federally funded benefits after a person exhausts EUC Tier I. Tier II = 50% of a person’s state unemployment benefits, up to 13 weeks. Effective November 8, 2009, Tier II now provides for up to 54% of a person’s state unemployment benefits, up to 14 weeks. Benefit payments for EUC Tier II will range from $48 to one full week of $387.
• EUC Tier III is effective November 8, 2009 and provides up to 13 weeks of federally funded EUC benefits after a person exhausts EUC Tier II. Tier III = 50% of a person’s state unemployment benefits, up to 13 weeks.
• EUC Tier IV is also effective November 8, 2009 and provides up to 6 weeks of federally funded EUC benefits after a person exhausts Tier III. Tier IV = 24% of a person’s state unemployment benefits, up to 6 weeks. Tier IV is payable in Michigan because Michigan is a high unemployment state.
• Extended Benefits (EB) began in January 2009 and provides up to 20 weeks of federally funded benefits after a person exhausts EUC Tier III. EB = 80% of a person’s state unemployment benefits, up to 20 weeks. Absent Congressional action, the 20 week EB program will be reduced to 13 weeks for new EB claims established in 2010. UIA will update information about the EUC and EB extensions on this website.

taken from http://www.michigan.gov/uia.. please go there for any claim questions

This latest Unemployment extension provides up to 14 additional weeks of federally funded compensation to Kentucky’s unemployed workers who have exhausted their 26 weeks of state benefits and all federally funded benefits provided through all the previous the emergency extensions.

"This latest extension has the potential of assisting more than 32,000 Kentuckians who are struggling to provide for their families," said Gov. Beshear. "This additional compensation will help them endure these challenging times as we all work together to put Kentuckians back to work."

The nearly 10,000 Kentuckians who have already exhausted all 79 weeks of UI benefits may be eligible for payments retroactive to Nov. 8. A link will be made available within the online claims application by Dec 10, 2009 to allow requests of eligible weeks retroactive to that time. Claimants should wait two business days after filing to request payments for prior weeks on the oet.ky.gov Web site.

Congressman Boehner noted Democrats said President Obama’s stimulus program would "create jobs immediately." He said Democrats claimed the unemployment rate would not go above 8%. He noted after President Obama signed the stimulus program, 3 million jobs were lost. He said Americans have asked "where are the jobs?" but have only gotten more and more spending and debt.

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele noted that in the November 2009 elections, two Democrats lost their races for governor. He said this pointed out the fact that many Americans do not trust the President’s policies. He called the election of Republican governors in New Jersey and Virginia a "referendum" on President Obama’s policies. Representative Kevin Brady, a Republican from Texas, said the increase in unemployment is further "proof" that the president’s policies are failures.

Other Democrats and President Obama disagreed with the Republicans. President Obama said although patience and time will be required, he is "confident" the American economy will recover. He has often said the economy is in recovery, but unemployment is often the last area to improve in an economic downturn.

Christina Romer, chairwoman of the President’s Council of Economic Advisors, said the rise in unemployment contain signs of both labor market weakness and hope. He noted that the temporary job market increased by 33,700 jobs in October. He noted that market is one of the first to traditionally see job during an economic recovery. He noted more people were hired in the automobile market. Nevertheless, she said having double digit unemployment is a "stark reminder" of the work still to be done.
Although Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said the increase in joblessness was something that could have been forecast it is, nevertheless, an "unacceptable" situation. She said the Administration is working hard to improve the economy for millions of Americans. She noted many citizens want and need work but can’t find it. Solis also noted that before Obama became president, the country was losing far more jobs per month–700,000.
Other Democrats said the government will have to take even more action to improve the economy, including working on American infrastructure.

President Obama signed into law on November 6, 2009, legislation that extends unemployment benefits an additional 20 weeks in states that have unemployment rates above 8.5%. States below 8.5% receive an additional 14 weeks. The latest unemployment numbers from Tennessee estimate that 10.3% of its workforce is currently unemployed, qualifying the state for the additional 20 weeks of benefits. However, those counting on extended benefits in Tennessee may have a delay in receiving them.

The United States Department of Labor has yet to issue operating instructions for the new funds and officials in Tennessee cannot update their computer programs with the necessary changes to process applications and make payments until the Department of Labor issues these instructions. The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development Office says that all benefits will be paid in full once the necessary changes are made, but expect delays. These delays are likely to be resolved quickly, but if your benefits have already run out you may experience a two to three week lag in receiving payments.

Extended benefits are available for those job seekers whose benefits expire before December 31. The requirements for receiving the extended benefits are the same as regular benefits. You must be totally or partially unemployed by no fault of your own. You must have qualifying wages in the base period earned at an eligible workplace (you must have had unemployment insurance withheld, or an employer who withheld it). You must be physically able to perform work that is offered to you. You must be available to accept work that is offered to you, and you must report any work performed that you expect to get paid for.

You can apply for unemployment insurance in Tennessee by visiting www.tennesseeanytime.org/labor/. You can also call 1-877-813-0950, wait times are lower on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. When using the internet or phone option make sure you have all of your relevant information ready, such as contact information for your employer, and your personal information. If you live in Fayette, Tipton, Lauderdale, or Shelby county, you must apply in person for benefits. Offices for these counties are in Collierville, Memphis, Covington, Ripley, and Somerville.

Government Mortgage Help is also Available

On February 17, 2009, the government enacted the Federal Additional Compensation program as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (otherwise known as the economic stimulus package. It provided for people to receive an extra $25 every week of Wyoming unemployment benefits. The extra money is available until July 30, 2010.

Along with the $25 extra per week, the federal government provides up to 20 total weeks of emergency unemployment compensation, otherwise known as EUC. You can take advantage of EUC after you have exhausted your normal Wyoming unemployment benefits. The last day to be eligible for a new claim under the current program is December 26, 2009.

To be eligible for EUC, you must have a benefit year that is over and also be unable to ascertain a new benefit year under normal Wyoming unemployment insurance. Or, you must have exhausted all your benefits available in the current year.

Visit the Wyoming Internet Claims Filing website at http://wyui.doe.state.wy.us to file online for EUC. You can also file by telephone at (307) 473-3789. If you are outside of the state of Wyoming, you can call 1-866-729-7799.

In order to continue receiving Wyoming unemployment benefits, you must meet the eligibility requirements. This means you must be capable of working, available to work, and actively seeking work.

As you can see, the government is working to relieve your concerns about unemployment benefits. As a person claiming benefits, remember that you have the right to receive them. With that right comes responsibilities that you need to meet in order to continue to be eligible. Working together with the state of Wyoming, you can receive a temporary income while you focus on getting a stable job.