Call Us 919-240-4054On March 2, President Obama signed the Temporary Extension Act of 2010 (summary here), a bill that will extend the 65 percent premium COBRA subsidy through March 31, 2010, and unemployment assistance benefits through April 5, 2010. The Senate passed this bill after Republican Senator Jim Bunning finally abandoned his misguided efforts to block it. On […]
Unemployment Benefits
President signs bill extending COBRA and unemployment benefits
On December 21, 2009, President Obama signed a Defense Appropriations Bill, which also included two-month extensions for unemployment benefits and the 65% COBRA subsidy that was in the stimulus package. Specifically, the act extended the COBRA premium reduction eligibility period for two months until February 28, 2010, and increased the maximum period for receiving the subsidy […]
Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act now in effect; extension for unemployment still needed
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), which was passed last year, goes into effect this weekend with regard to its ban on employment discrimination. GINA prohibits employers from requesting genetic testing or considering someone’s genetic background in hiring, firing or promotions. The EEOC’s new website is a good source of information on the Act. While Congress did […]
Unemployment extension finally passed
The Senate finally passed the extension for unemployment insurance last week, and it was promptly signed by President Obama on Friday. The extension was originally passed by the House in September, but it had been held up in the Senate by Republicans. The extension will provide 20 additional weeks of benefits for unemployed workers in […]
Labor market continues to worsen
As our clients continue to tell us, the current labor market is an incredibly brutal environment for workers seeking work. Nationally, the number of job openings per person looking for a job is at a record low. Hopefully, the Senate will soon pass the 13-weeek unemployment extension that recently passed in the House.
Today’s employment decision by the NC Supreme Court
Carolina Power & Light Company v. Employment Security Commission: At issue was whether an employee who accepts a voluntary early retirement package, offered by the employer as part of a company-wide downsizing, is eligible for unemployment insurance benefits. In a unanimous opinion, the Court held that the employee was not entitled to benefits because he still […]
Unemployment benefits expansion signed by governor
House Bill 1090, which allows workers receiving severance pay to also receive benefits, was signed by the governor on July 27, 2009. This act becomes effective October 1, 2009, and expires July 1, 2011. Further regulatory guidance from the ESC may be forthcoming. The text of the bill can be found here.
Unemployment data
Although there’s lots of happy talk about the economy turning around, and the big banks are apparently minting money, the situation for ordinary workers is still perilous. The long-term unemployment rate — the proportion of the labor force that has been out of work for at least 15 weeks — is at the highest level since […]