How many of us know that the extended federal benefits that have been available to unemployed workers in Massachusetts for years expire, abruptly, on December 29, 2012? While there was much well-deserved fanfare about aspects of the “Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012”, one under-reported consequence is that all “Federal Extension Benefits” (as in Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III) end on December 29, 2012. Those who become unemployed now are limited to a maximum of 26 weeks of unemployment.
Is the recession over? Is the unemployment problem in solved in Massachusetts? I don’t think so.
I’m all too aware that this is an election year, and that our elected representatives are therefore paralyzed. Nevertheless, is this kind of abrupt cut-off (during the holiday season, no less) really going to help the national and Massachusetts economy?
…where a looming election should motivate rather than paralyze. After all, given the still too-high unemployment rate it seems those who are unemployed would like to give political credit, and thus their votes to the parties and legislators who looked out for them.
I’m surprised that this isn’t getting more airplay.
The cliff happens because every recipient of extended federal benefits will have them cut off on the same day (Dec 29, 2012) — regardless of how long they’ve been receiving them. Unemployed workers in Massachusetts receive 26 weeks of unemployment from the state program. Those who are still unemployed after that have, until now, been eligible for three tiers of federal extended unemployment benefits.
That means that the TOTAL number of unemployed workers receiving federal unemployment benefits will ALL lose their benefits on the same day. Merry Christmas and happy New Year.