E-Alert Item: Unemployment: President Signs Bill Extending Benefits

President Bush has just signed legislation to extend unemployment insurance benefits for laid-off workers. The measure will extend benefits by 13 weeks for the estimated 1.6 million workers whose normal state UI benefits are due to expire in May 2003. Plus, it will restore benefits to the approximately 750,000 workers whose unemployment benefits lapsed just before the Christmas holiday. However, workers who have already exhausted state and federal UI will be ineligible for additional payouts.