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Speak Out Now to Preserve
Unemployment Benefits
Speak Out Now to Preserve Unemployment Benefits
Unemployment benefits are good
for workers and good for the economy. They are the
�first line of defense� protecting today�s workers
laid off as a result of the recession and helping to
boost the economy in those areas hit hardest by
unemployment.
However, that will all change
unless Congress and the President act now to fix the
federal extension of unemployment benefits.
Otherwise, after May 31st, the federal program of
extended unemployment benefits is scheduled to end.
If the program is not continued for another six
months, more than two million workers will not be
able to collect any extra jobless benefits.
America�s laid off workers and
their families deserve better. Get involved so that
today�s unemployed workers get the help they deserve
to pay their bills and find new work in today�s rough
labor market. Make sure that federal jobless benefits
continue until at least November 2003 and improve the
program so that workers can collect at least 26 weeks
of additional unemployment benefits as provided to
many jobless workers during the last recession.
Take action now!
Send a letter to the following
decision maker(s):
Your Congressperson
Your Senators
Below is the sample letter:
Subject: Extend Federal
Unemployment Insurance
Dear [decision maker name
automatically inserted here],
Unemployment benefits are the
"first line of defense" for jobless workers and our
economy. After May 31st, the federal program of
extended unemployment benefits is scheduled to run out
despite today's rising long-term unemployment.
Extended unemployment benefits protect long-term
jobless workers, and they help stimulate the
struggling economy.
Unless you, your colleagues, and the President act now
to save the program, more than two million unemployed
workers will not be able to collect any extended
jobless benefits over the next six months.
Already, more than 2.8 million workers have run out of
the 13-week federal extension. At the same time, more
and more workers are running out of state unemployment
benefits. And there's no reprieve in sight, as
long-term unemployed keeps rising, now totaling 1.8
million workers. That's almost 500,000 more than when
the federal extension began in March 2002.
Until the economy starts producing enough jobs again,
America's workers and their families deserve better.
Congress and the President should continue the federal
extension of jobless benefits for six months, and
longer if necessary. In addition, as literally
millions of workers keep running out of their 13-week
federal extensions, the time has come to increase the
number of weeks of extended benefits. All workers,
including those who have run out of the federal
extension, should be entitled to collect at least 26
weeks of federal jobless benefits, similar to the help
provided to jobless workers during the last recession.
More than $26 billion is available to pay for federal
unemployment, much more than is needed to cover the
costs of fixing the program. Please act now to
continue and expand the program of federal jobless
benefits.
Sincerely,
Alex Blair
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