Up to 100,000 Wisconsin residents may see an end to their unemployment benefits by late April if Congress does not approve federal assistance extension legislation.
The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development sent out 8,000 letters last Tuesday notifying individuals who are within weeks of losing their eligibility for unemployment benefits.
According to DWD spokesperson John Dipko, the DWD expects to send out approximately 1,500 letters per week, totaling 100,000 letters over a period of months. He said the letters inform recipients of the number of payments they have left and point them to various assistance resources.
Unemployment recipients in Wisconsin can receive benefits for up to 93 weeks. Pending federal legislation could extend benefits for up to 100,000 residents, but Dipko said funds would be ""exhausted over a period of weeks to several months"" if an extension fails to pass.
""We are hopeful that Congress will take action to extend the benefits. We know this is a critical lifeline for many individuals, and we want to continue to have unemployment available for those who need it,"" he said.
Thirty Wisconsin lawmakers signed a letter Friday that called on U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., chair of the Senate Finance Committee, to ask for ""swift action"" on an unemployment extension.
The letter, signed by lawmakers including state Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville, and state Sen. Judy Robson, D-Beloit, asked for an extension of COBRA premium assistance and unemployment benefits through Dec. 31, 2010.
""Immediate action is necessary to ensure there is little or no interruption in this critical safety net,"" the letter said. ""Even a small delay in payments can be disastrous for people currently depending on these benefits.""
Wisconsin's unemployment rate in December was 8.7 percent, one percentage point lower than the national rate of 9.7 percent. According to the letter, Wisconsin lost 26,000 jobs between November and December.
