Long-Term Unemployed More Than Double in California
April 24th, 2009Via: OC Register:
The number of long-term unemployed in California has more than doubled in the last year and now make up nearly 25% of all people without jobs, reports the state Employment Development Department.
In March 2008, 168,000 Californians had been out of a job 27 weeks or more — the point where marchunemploymentdurationregular unemployment insurance typically runs out. Last month the number of long-term jobless jumped to 371,000.
The largest group of unemployed in the state is those who have been without jobs five to 14 weeks — 454,000 in March compared to 326,000 a year ago.
Unemployment statewide surged to 11.2% in March, a modern-day record, as the total number of jobless topped 2 million.
Congress has approved three extensions of unemployment insurance in states like California with high unemployment rates. California has the fourth highest rate in the country after Michigan, Oregon and South Carolina.
The jobless in California are now eligible for up to 79 weeks of unemployment insurance.
