June 25, 2009

Markell Signs Law Extending Benefits for Unemployed Workers

DOVER – Unemployed Delawareans will now receive an additional 13 weeks of benefits thanks to legislation Gov. Jack Markell signed into law Wednesday.

The legislation Markell signed allows the state to access funds from the federal stimulus package to help pay unemployment benefits.

“My administration is focused on getting the economy moving again so Delawareans can get back to work,” Markell said. “It will not be easy, but we can and must turn our economy around. As my administration works toward our goal, we must also help out-of-work Delawareans and their families. The added benefits will be a helping hand to Delawareans who need it most.”

The significant downturn in the national economy has hit Delaware hard, forcing the unemployment rate to 8 percent for May. Thousands of unemployed workers were scheduled to exhaust their benefits in the coming weeks without the extension.

“There’re Delawareans out there who are seeking employment, and yet the general nature of the national economy and of our state’s economy are not providing opportunities for employment,” said Sen. Robert Marshall, who introduced Senate Bill 156 along with Rep. Bryon Short. “It is basically bread and butter, groceries kind of issue. We want to keep those families safe and secure to the best of our abilities through the unemployment insurance fund. To the credit of the Obama-Biden administration and Congress, they have seen the issue and provided us the opportunity to extend these additional 13 weeks of badly needed help.”