Unemployment Benefits: 2,000 Unemployed Montanans Eligible for Expanded Benefits

HELENA – The state has notified about 2,000 jobless Montanans whose unemployment benefits have expired that they are now eligible for extended payments under a recently passed federal law.

Montana's Department of Labor and Industry sent letters last week informing people of their eligibility for one more week of tier 2 unemployment benefits and up to 13 weeks of the newly created tier 3 benefits. Tier 2 benefits were extended to up to 14 weeks from the previous 13 weeks.

Roy Mulvaney, administrator of the Labor Department's Unemployment Insurance Division, says the agency wants to send the latest checks within a couple of weeks. A Nov. 24 target date has been set for those who have the unemployment benefits directly deposited into their bank accounts.

Mulvaney said that under the new law, unemployed Montanans are eligible for up to 75 weeks of unemployment benefits — 28 weeks of regular unemployment, 20 weeks of tier 1, 14 weeks of tier 2 and 13 weeks of tier 3 benefits.

President Obama signed the bill into law on Nov. 6.