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Jobless Oregonians will receive fewer unemployment benefit checks due to falling unemployment rates, the state said Friday.
Instead of receiving 20 weeks of extended benefits, those who need unemployment assistance will receive 13 weeks. Change takes effect on December 13.
At the start of the pandemic, Oregon’s unemployment rate rose to 14.2% in April – a historic high for the state. It has since fallen below 6.9%.
If the state’s average unemployment rate is between 6.5% and 8%, beneficiaries may receive 13 weeks of additional benefits. If the unemployment rate is over 8%, they can get an additional 20 weeks of benefits.
“We know that extending benefits has been a critical safety net for many Oregonians, and this reduction in available benefits will be painful,” said David Gerstenfeld, acting director of the Oregon Department of Employment.
He called on elected officials to pass a law that would allow Oregon to take back extra weeks benefits for those who are out of work during the pandemic.
—Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; [email protected]; @JRamakrishnanOR
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