To Extend or Not to Extend UI Benefits

To prevent 2 million people from abruptly losing their economic lifeline at the end of the year, Senate Democrats have begun their push to preserve federal unemployment insurance programs.

Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) is gathering signatures from his Democratic colleagues for a letter to Senate leadership urging an extension of jobless aid. Despite recent declines in the unemployment rate, the letter notes that more than 12 million Americans are still out of work, and that there are more than three unemployed people for every available job.

Last week, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) sent party leaders a letter demanding that the cost of continuing federal unemployment compensation for another year, which the letter put at $26 billion, be offset with cuts to other parts of the federal budget. 

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, slightly more than 2 million Americans are currently collecting federal unemployment insurance, which lasts for as many as 47 weeks in states with high unemployment rates. Laid-off workers are eligible for federal benefits if they still haven't found work after using up state-funded benefits, which in most states last 26 weeks.

Thanksgiving Message

I wish each IAWP member and their family a happy Thanksgiving.  Please remember those who lost so much in Hurricane Sandy and give generously to the American Red Cross to help aid in the recovery.    DONATE

Facebook Launches New App

A year ago Facebook teamed up with the U.S. Department of Labor, the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the Direct Employers Association and the National Association of State Workforce Agencies to form the Social Jobs Partnership. At the time, the coalition promised to roll out a free app that would connect job seekers with open positions.

Now with unemployment still stubbornly high and the economy sluggish, Facebook and companies that list jobs on Facebook including Branchout, JobVite and Work4 Labs have pulled together more than 1.7 million job postings in the U.S. in one spot.

Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis said the app, which lets Facebook users search job listings by keyword, type of work, industry and location, would help get America back to work.  Nearly a year ago, the U.S. Department of Labor joined the Social Jobs Partnership to explore better ways to connect people with job information through social media.

Help with Hurricane Sandy Recovery

A recent USDOL newsletter indicated tens of thousands of Americans are rebuilding homes and businesses in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, and citizens are turning to local authorities and the federal government for aid. That's where Benefits.gov can help. This collaborative partnership comprises 17 federal agencies with the U.S. Department of Labor as managing partner. As the single online source for more than 1,000 government assistance programs, the site received 225,506 visits shortly before and after Sandy came ashore on Oct. 29 — a 25 percent increase from normal web traffic. The USDOL also supplies technical support to DisasterAssistance.gov, which received more than 1.5 million visits between Oct. 30 and Nov. 13 — representing a staggering spike of 2,357 percent. As recovery continues from Sandy, key agencies in the department, including the Employment and Training Administration, Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Wage and Hour Division, are focused on outreach to workers and employers, coordination with federal, state and local agencies, health risk assessments, and other disaster-related matters.

Visit Benefits.gov
Visit Disasterassistance.gov

 

Thanks Mississippi Chapter

Special thanks to the Mississippi IAWP chapter for there generous contribution to the Make a Wish Foundation.  Please take the time to read about their accomplishments - http://www.wlbt.com/story/19955464/make-a-wish-chapter-gets-donation-from-state-employees

USDOL Turns 100

In 2013 IAWP will celebrate it's centennial and in 2013 the U.S. Department of Labor also turns 100.  USDOL has put together a fantastic video.  Watch it and discover how the department was created, meet all the labor secretaries and get a glimpse of legislative history.  Watch the Video