Mon., April 5, 2010 5:48pm (EDT)

Thousands of Georgians to Lose Unemployment Benefits
By Sasha S. Horne
Updated: 2 years ago

ATLANTA  —  
Georgia’s Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond says tens of thousands of Georgians will be affected. (GPB file photo)
This week, unemployed workers across the state will not be receiving additional unemployment benefits. The U.S Congress failed to pass a short-term extension for several programs including Emergency Unemployment Compensation before leaving for a two-week holiday break. This extension affects jobless workers receiving long-term unemployment benefits. When Congress returns, if no extension is approved, benefits for people losing a job in April could be capped at the basic 26 weeks.

Michael Thurmond is Georgia’s Commissioner of Labor. He says thousands of Georgians will be affected.

"Immediately, some 5000 Georgians who were otherwise eligible for benefits lost those benefits last night. Additionally, if the stalemate continues in the Senate, each week, an additional 5000 Georgians who were otherwise eligible will lose their benefits."

Labor Department officials say that the people who have lost their benefits or are in danger of losing them in the next few weeks have been notified. State labor departments across the country are asking unemployed workers to continue to file claims in case benefits are restored retroactively.