Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

Wednesday, June 04, 2003 Governor Jim Doyle Secretary Roberta Gassman

News Media Contact Rose Lynch 608/266-6753 e-mail: news@dwd.state.wi.us fax: 608/266-1784

Federal Jobless Benefits to Continue
31,000 Wisconsin workers may qualify through December

Madison - Governor Jim Doyle and Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman today announced that additional funding has been provided for Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) benefits for displaced workers. Approximately 31,000 additional jobless Wisconsin workers may qualify for TEUC benefits when they use up their state benefits after June of this year.

"This legislation helps the state of Wisconsin to assist workers with a much needed extension of financial assistance as they and their families struggle with unemployment," said Governor Jim Doyle.

TEUC benefits are paid to workers who exhaust their state unemployment benefits. The program pays an unemployed worker up to 13 weeks of federal jobless benefits at the same weekly rate as they collected in state benefits. The TEUC program originally began in March 2002 and was previously extended in January 2003. The program had been scheduled to end on May 31. Federal legislation was signed last week extending the TEUC program for another seven months.

"This federal legislation continues the program for those individuals who have not already exhausted their TEUC benefits," Governor Doyle explained.

For those individuals who have a remaining balance on December 31, the law provides a phase-out period. Individuals may collect this remaining entitlement through the week ending April 3, 2004.

The law does not provide additional TEUC for individuals who have already exhausted their TEUC eligibility.

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Content Contact: Rose Lynch