Oregonians who are out of work will receive fewer weeks of long-term unemployment benefits from next month due to the state’s unemployment rate.
The state offers unemployed Oregonians who use up their regular unemployment benefits 13 weeks of extended benefits, because the state’s unemployment rate has been longer than 6.5% for the previous three months.
Although Oregon’s unemployment rate rose to 6.4% in December and rose for the first time since April, the rate has remained below 6.5% for the past three months. This forced the federal government to notify Oregon officials that they could no longer offer the extended benefits. The change will take effect on February 20th.
If Oregon’s unemployment rate rises to 6.5% or higher, the state could offer the expanded benefit program again.
Unemployed Oregonians who have exhausted their regular unemployment benefits will, however, still be able to receive extended benefits through a separate pandemic program, funded by the federal government.
Once the current extended benefit programs expire on February 20, plaintiffs will be automatically transferred to the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program for the additional 11 weeks.
David Gerstenfeld, acting director of the Oregon Employment Department, said the switch could require manual changes that could delay some of the extended payments, but that all payments would be made retrospectively and that plaintiffs would not lose any of their weekly benefits. not. for.
The Pandemic Program for Emergency Unemployment Compensation will expire on March 14. Those who still have money on their claim at that point, according to the Department of Employment, will continue to receive benefits until April 10.
– Jamie Goldberg | [email protected] | @jamiebgoldberg