Unemployment

Madison, Wis. June 23, 2008 -- Individuals who can't work because of the severe storms, tornadoes and ongoing flooding that began on June 5 may be eligible to receive Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA).

The benefits are funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency in a 26-week program administered by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (WDWD).

GENERAL ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for DUA, you must meet all the following criteria:

* Live in a county declared for federal disaster assistance (see list below).
* Are not eligible for regular unemployment insurance benefits.
* Unemployment was a direct result of the recent storms.
* Live or worked in the disaster area.    » read more »

June 16, 2008 -- John McCain claims that a part of his economic plan for America is "bolstering job security," but his record tells a different story. When Senator McCain has had the chance, instead of fighting to keep America's jobs here at home he helped steer a tanker contract to a European company for which his campaign advisors then lobbied, shipping tens of thousands of American jobs overseas. This follows McCain's pattern of mocking and subverting "Buy America" rules in the Senate. [johnmccain.com, accessed 6/15/08]    » read more »

June 16, 2008 -- MADISON – Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle announced today that individuals in Columbia, Crawford, Racine, Richland, Milwaukee, Sauk, and Vernon counties affected by the recent severe storms and floods that began on June 5, 2008 will be eligible to apply for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), including Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA).

Disaster Unemployment Assistance is available to unemployed workers who worked or were self employed if they:

* worked or were self employed, or were scheduled to begin work or self employment, in one of the affected counties; or were unable to reach their employment because they must travel though the affected area;    » read more »

June 12, 2008 -- Today’s vote in the House of Representatives to pass a vital extension of unemployment benefits marks an important step forward in getting desperately needed help to some of the most vulnerable in the rapidly failing economy – and giving the economy a needed boost. We commend Democratic leadership and all members who voted for this important legislation.    » read more »

June 12, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement this afternoon after the House voted 274 to 137 to pass legislation that will help workers who have lost their jobs as a result of an economy on the brink of recession. The Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act passed by a 2/3 majority, a margin large enough to override a threatened veto by President Bush.

“Today, the House voted to help 3.8 million Americans who are out of work in large part because of the disastrous economic policies of this White House and its allies in Washington.    » read more »

June 12, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Congressman John P. Murtha, Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, joined a bipartisan majority of his colleagues today in voting to approve legislation that will aid workers who have lost their jobs as a result of the current economic downturn.

The Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act provides up to 13 weeks of extended unemployment benefits in every state to workers exhausting the 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits. Approximately 3.8 million unemployed Americans can benefit from this legislation, which will be fully paid for through existing reserves in the federal unemployment trust funds.    » read more »

Chicago, IL -- June 11, 2008 -- "Before we begin, I just wanted to say a word about the flooding devastating so many communities. We were scheduled to be holding this event in Iowa, but we decided to cancel it because we didn't want to divert state resources from going to help with flood relief.

Barack Obama poster, San Francisco: Photo by january20th2009 (CC)    » read more »

Increase “long overdue,” according to AFL-CIO President John Sweeney

June 09, 2008 -- Today AFL-CIO President John Sweeney urged members of Congress to aid working people hit the hardest and boost the our floundering economy by extending unemployment benefits.    » read more »

Tax Credit Aims to Help Stimulate Job Growth in the North Country

June 09, 2008 -- CONCORD - New Hampshire Governor John Lynch today signed into law the Coos County Tax Credit, an important new tool in the state’s efforts to attract jobs to the North Country.

“Today, we are investing in bringing new, good-paying jobs to the people of Coos County,” Gov. Lynch said. “It is very clear that Coos County is struggling, and struggling even more than other parts of New Hampshire. This new tax credit will help provide some much needed relief.”    » read more »

WASHINGTON, June 6 – Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) commented on today’s report that the jobless rate in May jumped to 5.5 percent. He also reacted to a Senate filibuster that blocked legislation on global warming.

The Labor Department reported that employers last month shed 49,000 jobs resulting in the biggest jump in the jobless rate in more than two decades.

Sanders said, “The news about increased unemployment is obviously not good. In my view, what we need to do as soon as possible is to put increased funds into rebuilding our crumbing infrastructure – that’s our roads, our bridges, our culverts, our wastewater plants – and then we deal not only a serious national problem, but we put many people to work.”    » read more »

June 6, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC -- Anthony Coley, spokesman for Senator Edward M. Kennedy, released the following statement concerning today's jobs numbers, which showed a dramatic jump in the unemployment rate from 5.0 to 5.5 percent and an increase by 861,000 in the number of unemployed Americans (to a total of 8.5 million).

Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, is the author of pending legislation to temporarily extend unemployment benefits for millions of Americans.    » read more »

June 6, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. — Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel announced this afternoon that legislation extending unemployment insurance benefits for the long-term jobless will be acted on swiftly by the House.

The House Ways and Means Committee has already passed the legislation to aid millions of workers who have lost their jobs in the struggling economy.    » read more »

06 June 2008 -- Friday was a very volatile day in financial markets as the oil price rebounded to gain over ten dollars a barrel while US stock prices plummeted following the report of a sharp rise in unemployment.

Oil soared after an Israeli politician raised the specter of an Israeli military strike on Iran, the second largest OPEC oil producer.

Walla Walla, Washington gas price sign: Photo by Peter Bulthuis (CC)

In New York crude oil rose eight percent, or $10.75, to a record over $138 a barrel. The rise followed a five percent gain on Thursday, bringing oil's two-day advance to a stunning $16.    » read more »

06 June 2008 -- There are further signs of economic slowdown in the United States as the jobless rate in May rose by one-half percent to 5.5 percent. The latest unemployment statistics and sharply higher oil prices triggered a sharp fall in stock prices early in the day.

At 5.5 percent, the U.S. unemployment rate is now at its highest level in three-and-a-half years. The economy lost 49,000 jobs in May, a figure in line with expectations. However, the soaring jobless rate came as a shock, and reflected a sharp rise in the number of people looking for work.    » read more »

June 06, 2008 -- Chicago, IL - Statement from U.S. Senator Barack Obama on this month's jobs report:

"Today's jobs report is deeply troubling. Last month, our economy lost 49,000 jobs and the unemployment rate saw the greatest rise in more than twenty years.

This is a reminder that working families continue to bear the brunt of the failed Bush economic policies that John McCain wants to continue for another four years. In the first five months of 2008, our economy has lost 324,000 jobs, and workers' wages once again failed to keep pace with the skyrocketing cost of health care, and college tuition, and gas.    » read more »