An estimated 24,000 Wisconsinites will lose extended unemployment benefits on Saturday, when the federal program expires.
It’s provided additional weeks of benefits, since the 2008 recession hit.
Congress is expected to vote in January on whether to restore the extension. Wisconsin’s federal lawmakers have differing opinions. Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin favors renewal.
“These extended unemployment benefits are very important, in light of how deep our recent recession was and how many people were displaced from good paying jobs and have not been able to get back on their feet,” Baldwin says.
But Republican U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan says it’s time for the extended benefits to end. He commented on Fox News Sunday.
“A thirteenth extension of this emergency unemployment extension from the 2008 crisis -- we have a lot of evidence showing that it will prolong unemployment. Our focus is getting people back to work,” Ryan says.
Without the extension, laid off workers can receive 26 weeks of unemployment benefits.
