North Carolina Dropped From Federal Unemployment Program

[marmar]

RALEIGH, N.C. -- With changes to its unemployment law taking effect this weekend, North Carolina not only is cutting benefits for those who file new claims, it will become the first state disqualified from a federal compensation program for the long-term jobless.

State officials adopted the package of benefit cuts and increased taxes for businesses in February, a plan designed to accelerate repayment of a $2.5 billion federal debt. Like many states, North Carolina had racked up the debt by borrowing from Washington after its unemployment fund was drained by jobless benefits during the Great Recession.

The changes go into effect Sunday for North Carolina, which has the country's fifth-worst jobless rate. The cuts on those who make unemployment claims on or after that day will disqualify the state from receiving federally funded Emergency Unemployment Compensation. That money kicks in after the state's period of unemployment compensation – now shortened from up to six months to no more than five – runs out. The EUC program is available to long-term jobless in all states. But keeping the money flowing includes a requirement that states can't cut average weekly benefits.

Because North Carolina leaders cut average weekly benefits for new claims, about 170,000 workers whose state benefits expire this year will lose more than $700 million in EUC payments, the U.S. Labor Department said. .................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/28/north-carolina-unemployment_n_3515448.html?ncid=txtlnkushpmg00000037

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. watch for reverse emigration - folks leaving the state

because of the onerous rules and regs.

[SummerSnow]

2. Baggers should rejoice...

they say unemployment benefuts are socialist.But I bet they'll leave the state as well over this

[FarCenter]

3. Governments must ensure that they are less attractive to the unemployed than other governments

If you don't encourage the unemployed to move out fast enough, you eventually become Detroit.

[marmar]

4. Jeezus, Mary & Joseph.

That has to me the most daft thing I've read on DU today.

[Brickbat]

5. LOL WUT.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

6. i read it twice.

still feel "Ugh."