A casualty of the current government budget deal was the extension of federal unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed. That means come Dec. 28, 1.3 million people will be cut off unless Congress acts. You see, state benefits usually last about half a year, but once that runs out, federal benefits kick in for another 47 weeks.
DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton explained on NewsOne Now with Roland Martin, “The reasons that the extension of long-term benefits are so important is that we are now creating a group of Americans with skills who will never be employed again unless we do something about it.”
“I’ve put in a bill that would give employers a $5,000 tax credit [for hiring] long-term unemployed,” she continued, “because it is now clear if you are long-term unemployed, that means [if you’re out of work for] more than six months, you have very little chance of being employed.”
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