Alabama
3/18/09 - Gov. Riley continues to reject $100 million in stimulus funds for unemployment benefits even though legislators threatened to override him.
Alabama is alloted more than $35 million in stimulus funds for employment and training programs. The largest share, $13.2 million, will go to assisting training and employment activities in the dislocated worker program. More than $11.6 million is slated for youth activities in the employment and training program, while an additional $5 million is set for adult activities. The remaining $5 million has been alloted to other employment services.
Connecticut
4/7/09 - Connecticut is eligible for $87 million in unemployment funds. To qualify for the funds, states must expand unemployment eligibility and benefits to a wider population. Without doing anything, Connecticut already qualifies for $29 million. To receive the remaining $58 million the state would need to extend benefits to "trailing spouces" - those individuals who quit their job in order to relocate with a spouse. The governor has proposed legislation to do this.
3/25/09 - According to the Hartford Business Journal, Gov. Rell today called on the General Assembly to modify state insurance laws to take advantage of a provision in the federal stimulus package that makes it much less expensive for people who lose their job to keep their health insurance under the law known as COBRA. Because some states - including Connecticut - have what is known as a "mini-COBRA" law, employees laid off from small businesses cannot take advantage of the retroactivity provision unless the state law is changed.
3/1/09 - Gov. Rell announced Saturday (2/28) that job-seekers in Connecticut will be getting a bump in unemployment insurance of $25 a week, starting with claims filed this week, due to the federal stimulus bill.
Hawaii
6/30/09 - According to the Governor’s office, the state has received an additional $7.7 million for employment services and training, with 85 percent of funds going to counties.
3/14/09 - On March 11, Governor Lingle applied for the state’s full share of federal grants to supplement existing workforce development and training programs. These programs are designed to help the state’s unemployed labor force get back to work or to improve workers’ skills to help advance their careers.
The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations expects to receive the $7.7 million on March 19, 2009, with approximately 85 percent of the funds being distributed to the counties and the state investing the balance in various employment programs. In total, the State of Hawai`i will receive $7,773,870 broken down as follows:
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$2,918,025 for youth employment service programs, including expanded summer employment programs for youth;
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$1,234,406 for adult employment service programs, with priority given to recipients of public assistance and other low-income individuals;
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$2,161,193 for dislocated worker training and employment service programs; and
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$1,426,246 for public employment service programs, including $891,104 to support reemployment services for unemployment insurance claimants.
3/6/09 - Under the stimulus bill, Hawaii is receiving money to temporarily increase unemployment benefits by $25 a week. The increase in benefits is expected to add more than $600,000 to the state’s economy each week. The economic stimulus package also includes $7 billion in incentive payments to states that expand their unemployment laws to include more low-income workers. To qualify, states must provide benefits to workers with interrupted or sporadic work histories. Additional stimulus money is available for states that also offer higher benefits to workers with dependents and cover part-time workers, those who leave jobs for family reasons, and workers who need retraining. Hawaii currently qualifies for two-thirds of the incentive money allocated to them, and needs to make further legislative changes to fully qualify.
Indiana
Under the stimulus bill, Indiana is receiving money to temporarily increase unemployment benefits by $25 a week. That funding carried no strings and Governor Daniels accepted it almost immediately. The economic stimulus package also includes $7 billion in incentive payments to states that expand their unemployment laws to include more low-income workers. To qualify, states must provide benefits to workers with interrupted or sporadic work histories. Additional stimulus money is available for states that also offer higher benefits to workers with dependents and cover part-time workers, those who leave jobs for family reasons, and workers who need retraining. Indiana has neither of these provisions, and must change its laws in order to become eligible. Governor Daniels has indicated that he favors declining some of the money the stimulus package makes available for the state’s unemployment program because it might make the resulting benefits unsustainable once the federal money is gone.
Iowa
Under the stimulus bill, Iowa is receiving money to temporarily increase unemployment benefits by $25 a week. That funding carried no strings and Governor Culver accepted it almost immediately.
The economic stimulus package also includes $7 billion in incentive payments to states that expand their unemployment laws to include more low-income workers. To qualify, states must provide benefits to workers with interrupted or sporadic work histories. Additional stimulus money is available for states that also offer higher benefits to workers with dependents and cover part-time workers, those who leave jobs for family reasons, and workers who need retraining. Iowa has neither of these provisions, and must change its laws in order to become eligible.
Kansas
3/9/09 - Unemployed workers have started getting an additional $25 week in their weekly jobless benefits. This translates to $5.9 million in additional spending during February and similar amounts in future months.
HB 2374 has been introduced and if passed, will expand eligibilty for unemployment benefits and qualify Kansas for about $68 million in federal stimulus money
Kentucky
4/2/09 - Gov. Beshear recently signed an emergency regulation that extends the deadline for health insurance assitance for the unemployed. Extention notifications will go out to those eligible by April 18. Eligible persons have 60 days from notification to apply for their 65 percent COBRA match.
Michigan
3/20/09 - According to a press release issued by Gov. Granholm's office, the extra $25 in unemployment benefits will begin with the payments that will be issued the week of March 23.
New York
4/27/09 - Federal stimulus funds will add an additional 13 weeks of unemployment payments to thousands of New Yorkers according to a wcbstv.com report. This is on top of a previous 20 week extension for people who were unable to find work after the original 26-week benefit eligible to most unemployed residents.
Officials in New York are making plans to provide $7 billion of benefits to N.Y. citizens in 2009 based on the expected influx of federal stimulus dollars. Labor officials expect that figure, which is double what they provided in 2008, will largely be due to the expected $2.1 billion they will receive from the federal funds.
North Carolina
4/16/09 - Gov. Beverly Perdue today announced the "12 in 6" program to help community colleges to quickly train students in a variety of fields. The program, which is receiving $13.4 million in federal stimulus dollars, is expected to be approved by the state community college board. According to the Associated Press, if approved, the program could be in place on all campuses this fall.
North Dakota
6/7/09 - The state received $2.9 million in stimulus funds for Job Service North Dakota to be used for placement of disadvantaged youth in summer jobs. According to the Bismarck Tribune, over 300 summer jobs have been created throughout the state.
Ohio
3/23/09 - Ohio is one of 13 states, plus the District of Columbia, that is in danger of missing out on federal stimulus funds for extended unemployment benefits, according to the Times Bulletin. To enable its citizens to be eligible to receive extended benefits, Ohio would have to pass a law to allow such benefits to be received beyond 26 weeks of unemployment.
3/19/09 - Unemployed senior citizens in Northwest Ohio are slated to receive relief from federal stimulus funding. Twenty-three million dollars of stimulus money is being provided to the Ohio Office of Experience Works, a non-profit organization set up to aid low income seniors, according to the Toledo Blade.
Oklahoma
6/16/09 - According to an article from Tulsa World, "In the two months TCC has been at Workforce Oklahoma, recruiters have spoken to more than 30 potential students a week, said Mary Philpott, dean of workforce development programs. The college has also responded to the needs of the unemployed with accelerated classes - which would roll out this week and can condense a 12-to 18-week course into six to eight weeks. TCC's efforts come as the government is trying to encourage more help for the unemployed."
6/15/09 - According to a press release from Congressman Dan Boren, “…many local small businesses may soon be eligible for interest-free loans under a new program created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), or stimulus package. The newly launched “America’s Recovery Capital” (ARC) program allows small firms to take out loans of $35,000 to pay down existing business debts. Borrowers pay no interest on the ARC loans and repayment does not begin for one year. The stimulus package was signed into law in February. Boren, the only member of Oklahoma’s Congressional Delegation to vote for the package, said the new loans are part of the ongoing effort to help rebuild the economy.”
4/22/09 - The Oklahoma Department of Commerce has established a Web site providing community resources, help for dislocated workers, and assistance to Okalhoma Businesses, as part of the ARRA effort.
Rhode Island
6/4/09 - Gov. Carcieri, in a June 1 press release, awarded more than $2 million to run 18-youth-employment programs this summer. An estimated 900 youth ages 14-24 are anticipated to be served.
Checks will increase $25 per week. The governor has also said he is seeking to move ahead with additional changes in unemployment benefits, allowing the state to maximize the $23.5 million available in stimulus funds.
Rhode Island will receive $17.16 million in workforce investment, including $7.95 million for WIA programs assisting dislocated workers, $5.61 million for youth and $2.11 million for adult WIA activities; and $1.5 million for Wagner-Peyser employment services.
South Carolina
While Gov. Sanford is considering rejecting some stimulus dollars earmarked specifically for unemployment, he has already agreed to accept temporary increases in jobless benefits under the existing rules. By accepting this money, S.C. residents collecting unemployment will be eligible to receive an additional $25 per check.
Texas
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Each unemployment payment includes an additional $25.00.
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This affects payments for any eligible weeks after Feb. 22, 2009.
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All UI claims, including Trade and Disaster, are covered.
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The $25 will not increase your Maximum Benefit Amount or add additional weeks of benefits to your claim
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Child Support will not be deducted from the $25.
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State and Federal Tax Withholdings apply to the $25.
Vermont
3/19/09 - Vermont’s stimulus czar, Tom Evslin, will return the $8.06 hourly wage to the state, the Burlington Free Press reported in early March. “I retired so I could do stuff I was interested in, not stuff that I would get paid for,” Evslin told the Free Press. “It seemed somewhat contradictory to create a new, expensive position while there's all these layoffs.” Gov. Jim Douglas put Evslin in charge of determining how to use the state’s share of the federal stimulus money.
West Virginia
Gov. Manchin has proposed language to the Senate Judiciary Committee to revise the state's current unemployment laws to be in compliance with ARRA in order for the state to begin receiving payments. WorkForce West Virginia, which overseees the state's unemployment program, has already implemented an increase of $25, and has advised recipients of an anticipated tax break that makes $2,400 in benefits will not be counted as income for the 2009 tax year.
American Samoa
American Samoa will receive over $400,000 for training and employment programs.
District of Columbia
Mayor Fenty recently announced that the District of Columbia would accept the $25 per week increase in unemployment benefits. Additionally, under funds from the ARRA, DC residents that have exhausted their unemployment benefits will be able to extend them until Dec. 2009, as long as they are actively seeking work.
The District is also using funds to expand unemployment services. The District’s unemployment call center and One Stop Career Centers are extending operation hours and have added more computers for customers to use for filing claims or searching for jobs.
Puerto Rico
4/8/09 - According to a press release from Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto Rico will receive $97 million in stimulus funds for unemployment programs. The money will be used for training programs for unemployed workers, minors (including additional programs and training for low-income minors), and those unemployed workers who most likely will not return to jobs in the industry in which they were previously employed. This funding is especially important for Puerto Rico, as their unemployment rate is currently 13 percent, which is much higher than the current U.S. average of 8 percent.