Federal unemployment benefits to end, impacting 29,000 South Carolinians
November 28, 2012
SOUTH CAROLINA – November 28, 2012 – Federal unemployment benefits will end next month for individuals nationwide as the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program expires.
The SC Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) estimates this change will affect approximately 29,000 South Carolinians and remove an estimated $6.2 million from the state’s economy each week.
Regardless of where a claimant falls on the four-tier EUC system, all payments will cease at the program’s end. After Dec. 29, 2012, South Carolinians filing for Unemployment Insurance compensation will only be eligible for up to 20 weeks of state benefits.
Affected claimants are encouraged to take advantage of free resources in local SC Works centers and online at jobs.sc.works.org.
EUC is a temporary federal program created in 2008 to assist individuals who have exhausted regular state benefits. The program was extended several times, but the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 set December 2012 as EUC’s end date.
DEW continues to work closely with the U.S. Department of Labor to fully analyze every aspect of how the EUC program’s end will impact our state. The agency is committed to keeping claimants informed of all developments regarding the situation. For updates, visit www.dew.sc.gov, follow @scdewinfo on Twitter or send questions to [email protected] .
