Unemployed Delawareans will receive an additional 13 weeks of benefits, thanks to legislation Gov. Jack Markell signed into law Wednesday.
The legislation allows the state to access federal stimulus package funds for unemployment benefits.
“My administration is focused on getting the economy moving again so Delawareans can get back to work,” Markell said. “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 (D-Wilmington West), who introduced Senate Bill 156 along with Rep. Bryon Short (D-Highland Woods).
“It is basically a bread and butter, groceries kind of issue. 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.”
