New State Data: Record-low 25% of Jobseekers Now Receive Assistance

WASHINGTON -- A record-low of only 25 percent of all unemployed Americans nationwide will likely receive unemployment insurance with the expiration of the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program. The Dec. 28 expiration of the emergency federal program cut off more than 1.3 million Americans from unemployment insurance, with an additional 72,000 Americans losing their benefits each week during the first half of 2014, on average.

The loss of these benefits will leave just a quarter of jobseekers for whom unemployment insurance taxes were paid during their prior employment receiving unemployment benefits. Since records began in 1946, the rate has never dropped below 30 percent. The table below shows the percentage in each state. Some states are well below the national average of 25 percent. These findings are based on data from the Department of Labor on the percentage of jobseekers receiving regular, state-provided unemployment insurance in the third quarter of 2013.

With the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program in effect, 38 percent of unemployed Americans were receiving unemployment insurance. Congressional Democrats are urging a renewal of the program. The Senate is scheduled to vote on legislation to renew the program next week.

States typically provide 26 weeks of state-funded unemployment insurance. The federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program that expired Saturday provided as many as 47 additional weeks of federally-funded unemployment insurance -- for a maximum state and federal total of 73 weeks. Only three states qualified for the maximum of 73 weeks. The average among all states was 54 weeks.

"This is another painful reminder why it is so important for House Republicans to stop blocking an extension of this critical lifeline for Americans searching for work," said Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI). "Congress has never before allowed benefits to be cut off to jobseekers when long-term unemployment has been anywhere close to its current level."

Data available below shows each state's UI recipiency rate, the percentage of jobseekers who were covered by the UI system while formerly employed who are currently receiving UI benefits. Without the federal EUC program, state UI programs nationwide provided assistance to only 25 percent of the unemployed. Since records began, going all of the way back to 1946, the annual UI recipiency rate has never dropped below 30 percent (when accounting for both state and federal benefits.

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