Unemployment benefits--you can get them for a long time.

[jonsonite]

The Senate recently failed to extend unemployment benefits--the Republicans blocked it and they went on break instead. Here's what Paul Krugman has to say about that:

There was a time when everyone took it for granted that unemployment insurance, which normally terminates after 26 weeks, would be extended in times of persistent joblessness. It was

Comments

[sonofzeal]

What's the average case, both in presently available weeks and the under consideration extension? If only a small percentage of the unemployed qualify for that 99 week figure, it's not terribly substantial.

[jonsonite]

I think its based on how much unemployment your state has--Washington is 99 weeks, anyway.

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2009/11/06/unemployment-extension-adds-up-to-99-weeks-of-benefits/

So some of the pink and all of the darker states on this map:
http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2009/10/21/widespread-job-losses-unemployment-rates-by-state/

[triath]

That chart appears to be of percent unemployment, not of length of unemployment benefits...

[jonsonite]

Right, but length of benefits is tied directly to % unemployment. I think to get the 99 weeks you have to be at 8.5% or more.