Wave of Oregonians nearing end of jobless benefits; state extension is ending for 3,000

Wave of Oregonians nearing end of jobless benefits

EUGENE, Ore. — Oregonians by the thousands are using up the last of their unemployment benefits, many after as long as two years.

So far this year, more than 14,000 Oregonians have run out of jobless benefits, the state Employment Department reported Friday. That includes about 3,000 people drawing benefits from a temporary state extension that ends the week of July 4.

By November, the department said, more than 64,000 additional Oregonians face exhausting their benefits. Congress has debated whether to extend benefits again, with debate focusing on whether the nation should add to its mounting debt.

The Eugene Register-Guard reported that local bankers and retailers have been warning of the day when large numbers of Oregonians exhaust their benefits. That means there will be no more cushion for many laid-off workers to continue buying essentials and feeding the economy while they look for a job.

Many Oregonians have been on jobless benefits for extended periods through the Great Recession as the state suffered from double-digit unemployment rates among the highest in the nation, and many have continued to draw benefits during a post-recession economy that has generated few new jobs.

The extension ending in the coming week was approved by the Legislature in February using $19 million in unemployment funds.

Benefit extensions the federal government granted during the worst of the slump also are ending. A person losing a job and going on unemployment today would be eligible for 26 weeks of regular state benefits, plus 20 weeks of extended benefits, said Employment Department spokesman Craig Spivey.

The state’s unemployment insurance fund itself is stable because employer taxes have risen automatically to keep it solvent.

Information from: The Register-Guard, www.registerguard.com