The National Employment Law Project is gathering signatures on the website, unemployedworkers.org, to present to Congress Wednesday. The petition calls on lawmakers to renew unemployment insurance for the long-term jobless through 2012.
Of the 14 million Americans who are unemployed, 46 percent — more than 6 million — have been jobless and looking for work for six months or longer, NELP said. The percentage of long-term unemployed has been 40 percent or higher for nearly two full years. The average duration of unemployment has been more than six months for over two years, and the average job search for an unemployed worker now lasts more than 9 months.
Today, the unemployment rate stands at 9.1 percent and has been above 8.5 percent for more than 31 months. In January, some 2 million Americans will lose their unemployment insurance if Congress does not act. In all, more than 6 million people will be cut off in 2012 if the program is not renewed.
“Congress has never cut back on federally-funded unemployment insurance when unemployment was anywhere near this high for this long,” NELP notes on its website.
“Now is not the time to let these programs lapse or expire. It would be unthinkable for Congress to cut-off this vital lifeline for so many hardworking Americans who are struggling to find work when jobs are so scarce. Allowing unemployment insurance to expire would have devastating consequences for millions of jobless workers and their families — and it would deal a severe blow to the economy and to communities across the country.”
Under legislation introduced in the House, H.R. 3346, the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program would continue through 2012.
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The National Employment Law Project is gathering signatures on the website, unemployedworkers.org, to present to Congress Wednesday. The petition calls on lawmakers to renew unemployment insurance for the long-term jobless through 2012.
Of the 14 million Americans who are unemployed, 46 percent — more than 6 million — have been jobless and looking for work for six months or longer, NELP said. The percentage of long-term unemployed has been 40 percent or higher for nearly two full years. The average duration of unemployment has been more than six months for over two years, and the average job search for an unemployed worker now lasts more than 9 months.
Today, the unemployment rate stands at 9.1 percent and has been above 8.5 percent for more than 31 months. In January, some 2 million Americans will lose their unemployment insurance if Congress does not act. In all, more than 6 million people will be cut off in 2012 if the program is not renewed.
“Congress has never cut back on federally-funded unemployment insurance when unemployment was anywhere near this high for this long,” NELP notes on its website.
“Now is not the time to let these programs lapse or expire. It would be unthinkable for Congress to cut-off this vital lifeline for so many hardworking Americans who are struggling to find work when jobs are so scarce. Allowing unemployment insurance to expire would have devastating consequences for millions of jobless workers and their families — and it would deal a severe blow to the economy and to communities across the country.”
Under legislation introduced in the House, H.R. 3346, the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program would continue through 2012.