WI: Governor endorses bill to reinstate State EB Program

Gov. Scott Walker wants a change in state law that would allow the continuation of federally funded extended benefits jobless pay and is calling for a one-week waiting period before regular benefits are paid out.

The bill, which is expected to be considered by an advisory panel on Thursday before it can be sent to the Legislature, would give Wisconsin access to an estimated $89million in federal money for extended benefits.

Extended benefits are available to individuals who have exhausted regular unemployment insurance benefits during periods of high unemployment. Earlier this year, the Obama administration told state officials that extended benefits would no longer be available in Wisconsin as of April 16 because the state's unemployment rate had gone down. The March jobless rate in Wisconsin was 8.1%.