Help for the unemployed till they pass the bill

 NOTICE  : This article, originally created by HopefromCA, was the starting point for a much bigger project to help the unemployed find information on bills, support, benefits, and other unemployment information. Everything on this page has been copied over to the broader resource called Benefit Wiki, which will remain as a resource for all forums even after particular bills and forums may be archived. Please go to the Benefit Wiki for expanded resource sections and a map with links to all the states where you can add information yourself for your own state.

 --nancym 10/25/09

To All: This is a summary of action suggestions thru 10-08-2009.


 * 1) Call,email,fax,twitter,mail all Governors, Senators and the President.
 * 2) http://www.nelp.org/page/speakout/EndFedBenDelay
 * 3) http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
 * 4) Write letters to local newspaper regarding the need for unemployment support.
 * 5) Possible ideas if Senators and the President refuses to listen to us such as one term limit, etc.
 * 6) SIGN PETITION: Asking Congress to please act now to extend benefits!!!!!! http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/NeedExtendedBenefits/

Updated News
► For latest news, from the week of October 4th and later, please go to the new Benefit Wiki, here:

www.opencongress.org/wiki/Project:Benefit_Wiki#Latest_news_on_bill_progress

10/2/09 10:00 PM, Fri. - SUMMARY: From NELP and all other sources, it seems that S.1699 passed the Senate Finance committee yesterday unanimously as 4 weeks for all states plus an ADDITIONAL 13 weeks (17 total) for states over 8.5% (not 8.0%). The extra funds needed would come out of a longer extention of the already existing FUTA tax on employers.

Then after that Sen. Shaheen of NH announced that she would introduce an amendment that would give more to the lower rate states, 13 weeks instead of 4, and she wanted the extra funds to come out of the refunded TARP funds. This amendment is not yet accepted or rejected.

Finance hoped the revised bill S. 1699 with the 4 weeks/17 weeks provisions would go through the Senate quickly and by unanimous consent, but now this new amendment possibly delays it a little, we're hoping not too long. Hope is that the bill will be passed early this coming week, but it might even be later in the week.

The NELP posts online and in emails verify the part about it being voted out of Finance and the 4 and 17 weeks, and the part about Shaheen can be found on Google News.

10/1/09 11:50 PM, Thurs. - Senate still hasn't voted on this bill, and it looks like it may not be actually out of the Finance Committee yet; very little info available in the news. Latest concrete info is from NELP press release: www.nelp.org/page/-/UI/PR.Senate.10.01.pdf, which states that on Sept 30 Max Baucus introduced a revised bill version that would give 4x weeks to all states and and additional 13 weeks (total of 17 additional ) to states over 8.5%. It's not quite clear if this new version retains the same bill number or a new number.

Senate session ended with adjournment til Monday(!). So it is not clear whether any action on this bill will take place in the Senate Finance Committee Friday or not, especially since that committee is still working out amendments to the health care bill at this late hour of 11:30PM EDT.

9/29/09 3:30PM - No definite date yet for a vote, but latest posts on OC and "insider info" and notices on CSPAN seem to indicate Senate will vote on this bill sometime this week, with some sources saying most likely Wednesday or Thursday.

The current bill is EUC and not is retroactive. It starts after the bill is signed.

Individuals can qualify if they have exhausted all EUC and EB benefits.

General support for the unemployed
(specific support for each state is listed below)

(Some may be out of funds).


 * Salvation Army
 * Goodwill.org
 * Google These Suggestions:
 * Faith based stimulus package
 * Community Action
 * Angel Food Ministries
 * Charities and organizations that can help with paying bills.
 * www.safelink.com Get a phone for free if you qualify.

Health care-related organizations

 * Free Clinics (free health services)
 * Free Flu shots at CVS stores

Housing and rental information
Check in your individual states if you're a renter (or will soon be!) for the "Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing" program. These ARRA funds are apparently just now (September) trickling out to the states and may be used up pretty quickly. Looks like only the hardest hit counties, in Florida for example, are giving out the rent money, but it's $300 million going out nationwide.

Credit goes to Hope in cali!!

www.tenantstogether.org

State by state info
For more information on each state, find it on the Benefit Wiki.

Connecticut Department of Labor http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/

OpenCongress resources

 * Unemployment benefits
 * Emergency unemployment compensation

External resources

 * Federal information on unemployment insurance
 * Emergency Unemployment Compensation program
 * State unemployment offices