Project:Benefit Wiki

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The Benefit Wiki Project on the OpenCongress wiki is your source for news on unemployment benefits, state-by-state benefit links and information and resources for the unemployed. It's built by and for the unemployed of the "Great Recession."

The Benefit Wiki project on the OpenCongress wiki tracks information on unemployment benefits, including regular unemployment compensation, the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program and the Extended Benefits Program. Benefit Wiki is a free, open-source, fully-referenced, and non-partisan public resource.
Add what you know. (Here's how.)

Latest news on bill progress

President Obama and congressional Republicans struck a deal in early December that would prolong the current regime of extended unemployment benefits - which last for different lengths for different states, depending on how bad the recession is there - until January 2012. States with the worst unemployment rate would still have a maximum of 99 weeks of unemployment benefits, but the compromise would allow those who have become unemployed in the last 99 weeks to continue receiving unemployment benefits until their time expires. No additional benefits were added; it merely maintained the stimulus-level unemployment benefits until 2012. The extended unemployment benefits were due to expire December 11, 2010. The compromise package also contained a number of tax cuts: a two-year extension of the Bush tax cuts, a two-year estate tax cut, a two-year temporary cut in the payroll tax rate, equipment-purchase write-offs for businesses and various small-bore tax credits from the stimulus bill.^[1]

A few days later on December 9th, Democrats in the House voted to reject the compromise package that contained the unemployment extensions, expressing dissatisfaction for tax cuts for those making over $250,000 and the estate tax cut.^[2] With the extended benefits regime due to expire on December 11th, it is unclear what action Congress will take, if any.

For the latest in news on bills that would extend unemployment benefits, see the OpenCongress blog archive on that topic.

See also the wiki article on past unemployment benefit votes.

See below under "unemployment benefit legislation" for background on other bills on extended unemployment benefits.

News Archive

Select a state to see information for your area

Please note: While editing this main page of the Benefit Wiki is restricted, individual state sections are editable by any member of Open Congress. If you don't see the "Edit" buttons when you go there, just log in at the top a second time with your regular login and you will be able to edit or add information there, using an email-like editing interface. Feel free to add any new information that will help the unemployed, but please, no commentary, these areas are for non-partisan resources only.

Citizen actions

Call, email, fax, twitter, mail all governors, Senators and the President.
1. Contacting members of Congress:
  1. Contacting your Representatives
  2. Contacting your Senators
Keep up with NELP.org petition drives--see www.nelp.org, and their site for the unemployed: UnemployedWorkers.org
White House Contact Info
Write letters to local newspaper regarding the need for unemployment support. (One resource to use for creating letters online that can be sent to newspapers and periodicals is Publishaletter.com.)
Join a local "Cube" of the Unemployed Workers Union: Union of Unemployed.com Power in numbers!

Survival links (please see individual states for local info)

[Note: This list of support links was started by Hope in Cali in an OC article titled "Help for the Unemployed till they pass the Bill." It has since been expanded here on the Benefit Wiki to reach more people and be accessible to all forums through the main Wiki link.]

General support for the unemployed

(Some organizations may be out of funds, or awaiting funds.)

Salvation Army
Goodwill.org
Google These Suggestions:
1. "Faith based stimulus package"
2. "Community Action"
Angel Food Ministries
Charities and organizations that can help with paying bills.
www.safelink.com Get a phone for free if you qualify.
Worried about your electricity being cut off? Check what protections you might have in the LIHEAP Clearinghouse, a state-by-state guide to disconnection policies: liheap.ncat.org/Disconnect/disconnect.htm
Help Until The Unemployment Extension Passes A collection of links and news items to help the unemployed who have run out of resources.
Credit problems or getting hassled? Check out these forums:
1. Creditboards.com
2. RipoffReport.com
Think it's hard enough finding work, and then you've got to step through the mine field of scam ads on top of that? Check out these forums:
1. Phishbucket.org
2. Craigslist Scambuster
Free gas from the government??? This is a new program that apparently no one has heard of but is supposedly real. Check these sites for an explanation, and if you find out more, please give us your feedback on the forums or in the state sections of this Wiki.
1. Free Gas Cards
2. New Hope for the Unemployed
This site from the National Council on Aging acts as a clearing house for links to several sources of aid: Benefits Checkup
Stressed out from the job search, the constant worry, need help with keeping up your spirits and maybe some practical help on job leads or networking strategies? Many state employment agencies have started up support and networking groups, but an organization with a long history of helping groups get together is Meetup.com. Do a search on their site for "unemployed" to find groups in your area, or you can start your own. Meetup.com helps by transitioning online contacts into actual physical meetings by providing online resources to rate meeting places for your group, email and online notification of meetings, and other online resources to help in your organization.
Have a specific need? You can post a request for help and get actual donations for compelling need at this site that is essentially a public charity resource on the Internet: Modest Needs

Health care-related organizations

Housing and rental information

Check in your individual states if you're a renter (or will soon be!) for the "Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing" program. These ARRA funds are apparently just now (September) trickling out to the states and may be used up pretty quickly. Looks like only the hardest hit counties, in Florida for example^[3], are giving out the rent money, but it's $300 million going out nationwide. ^[4]

Tenants Together
For the more radical, but somewhat more risky approach, check out Take Back the Land

General Benefits Info

OpenCongress resources

External resources

Here's what you can find on Benefit Wiki

Information on regular unemployment benefits on a state-by-state basis
Information on other available benefits and programs to help the unemployed get through this recession
Tier 1 and Tier 2 Emergency Unemployment
Updates on the latest legislation in Congress to extend or expand unemployment benefits

Find out how to participate or contact us at the Benefit Wiki community portal.

About/contact

The power of the fully sourced and operational wiki project comes from the citizens across the country researching, writing and fact-checking the information here. It is free, open-source, transparent in its editing standards and sourcing, and non-partisan. All information on Benefit Wiki is required to be referenced to an outside news source, and no partisan information is included.

The Benefit Wiki is coordinated by the OpenCongress team. We encourage you to make any additions or corrections via the "Edit" tab at the top of every project page (you'll need to log-in to edit; see the "Join OpenCongress" link in the top right to register for free).

For questions more generally about the Benefit Wiki or about starting your own project on OpenCongress, please contact the OpenCongress team at writeus@OpenCongress.org.

Discover other community projects (or how to start your own!) at the main OpenCongress wiki community portal.

More background and individual contact information can be found on the Benefit Wiki community portal.

Unemployment benefit legislation

The last big unemployment legislation was H.R.4213. The Senate was expected to vote to end a Republican filibuster of H.R.4213 on July 20, 2010. If this succeeds, the bill is extremely likely to be signed into law the same week.^[5]

S.AMDT.4425

On July 20, 2010, the Senate is expected to vote to move forward with a substitute amendment that reduces H.R.4213 to just 13 pages (down from 426 pages). The new version's only substantial provision is an extension of unemployment insurance for people who have been out of work for 6 months or longer. The filing deadline for unemployment insurance benfits expired on June 2; the bill would extend that deadline until November 30, 2010, allowing people who exhaust their current tier of benefits, or who have exhausted their most recent tier since June 2nd, to file to move into the next tier of benefits. The bill provides for benefits to be paid back retroactively for people who have seen their payments cut off since the filing deadline expired on June 2.

Additionally, there are three revenue-raiser provisions in the bill (changes to the Travel Promotion Act, cracking down on tax fraud committed by prisoners, and recessions from the Defense Department budget), which are estimated to raise $146 million over the next ten years.^[6]

SA2668 and HR3548

This was posted by NoGoodOnesLeft (NGOL) recently. It's a good shorthand version of what to expect if this amendment SA2668 and bill HR3548 pass as now written:

NEW TIERS OF EUC:
Tier 2 - 14 weeks for everyone.
Tier 3 - 13 weeks for at or over 6.5% 3 month average.
Tier 4 - 6 weeks for at or over 8.5% 3 month average.

They added Limitation rules so if your state already got Tier 2 - you will get the one extra week from the new Tier 2 and then will trigger on to Tier 3 for 13 weeks and if your state is at or over 8.5% average, then trigger on to Tier 4 for 6 more weeks.

If your state hasn't got the old Tier 2 of 13 weeks yet - you will get the 14 weeks and if your state goes to or over 6.5% average you will trigger on to Tier 3 for 13 more weeks and then if your state goes to or over 8.5% average trigger on to Tier 4 for 6 more weeks.

Bottom line for individuals who have exhausted their benefits in a state under 8.5%: 14 weeks

Bottom line for individuals who have exhausted their benefits in a state over 8.5%: 14 weeks + 6 weeks

References

↑ Donny Shaw, "What Exactly Is In Obama's Tax Cut/Unemployment Extension Compromise?" OpenCongress blog, Dec. 7, 2010.
↑ Donny Shaw, "House Dems Revolt, Vote Down Obama's Tax Deal," Dec. 9, 2010.
↑ http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/realestate/orl-money-stops-evictions-091909,0,5766334.storyfckLR
↑ http://rhodeisland.realestaterama.com/2009/09/25/hud-announces-31-million-in-recovery-act-funding-to-prevent-homelessness-in-rhode-island-ID072.html
↑ "Senate Breaks GOP Filibuster of Unemployment Extension, Bill Now Set to Become Law", Donny Shaw
↑ "Senate Breaks GOP Filibuster of Unemployment Extension, Bill Now Set to Become Law", Donny Shaw

[_note-0] Donny Shaw, "What Exactly Is In Obama's Tax Cut/Unemployment Extension Compromise?" OpenCongress blog, Dec. 7, 2010.

[_note-1] Donny Shaw, "House Dems Revolt, Vote Down Obama's Tax Deal," Dec. 9, 2010.

[_note-Florida_ARRA] ttp://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/realestate/orl-money-stops-evictions-091909,0,5766334.storyfckLR

[_note-ARRA_1] ttp://rhodeisland.realestaterama.com/2009/09/25/hud-announces-31-million-in-recovery-act-funding-to-prevent-homelessness-in-rhode-island-ID072.html

[_note-2] "Senate Breaks GOP Filibuster of Unemployment Extension, Bill Now Set to Become Law", Donny Shaw

[_note-3] "Senate Breaks GOP Filibuster of Unemployment Extension, Bill Now Set to Become Law", Donny Shaw

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[2]

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-<div style="border: 2px solid rgb(232, 227, 219); margin: 0em 0em -1.5em 1em; padding: 0.5em; overflow: hidden; float: right; border-collapse: collapse; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; text-align: center;">{{#click:Project:Benefit Wiki|Image:Benefit_Wiki.png||Go to the Benefit Wiki project!}} <div style="width: 400px; white-space: normal;">'''The Benefit Wiki project on the OpenCongress wiki''' tracks information on unemployment benefits, including regular unemployment compensation, the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program and the Extended Benefits Program. Benefit Wiki is a free, open-source, fully-referenced, and non-partisan public resource.<br> Add what you know. ([[Project:Benefit Wiki/Community Portal|Here's how.]]) <br></div> </div>
+The '''Benefit Wiki Project''' on the OpenCongress wiki is your source for news on unemployment benefits, state-by-state benefit links and information and resources for the unemployed. It's built by and for the unemployed of the "Great Recession."
+<div style="border: 2px solid rgb(232, 227, 219); margin: 0em 0em -1.5em 1em; padding: 0.5em; overflow: hidden; float: right; border-collapse: collapse; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; text-align: center;">{{#click:Project:Benefit Wiki|Image:Benefit_Wiki.png||Go to the Benefit Wiki project!}} <div style="width: 400px; white-space: normal;">'''The Benefit Wiki project on the OpenCongress wiki''' tracks information on unemployment benefits, including regular unemployment compensation, the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program and the Extended Benefits Program. Benefit Wiki is a free, open-source, fully-referenced, and non-partisan public resource.<br> Add what you know. ([[Project:Benefit Wiki/Community Portal|Here's how.]])</div> </div>
 == Latest news on bill progress  ==
-<u>Latest news, the week of November 1st:<br></u>
+President Obama and congressional Republicans struck a deal in early December that would prolong the current regime of extended unemployment benefits - which last for different lengths for different states, depending on how bad the recession is there - until January 2012. States with the worst unemployment rate would still have a maximum of 99 weeks of unemployment benefits, but the compromise would allow those who have become unemployed in the last 99 weeks to continue receiving unemployment benefits until their time expires. No additional benefits were added; it merely maintained the stimulus-level unemployment benefits until 2012. The extended unemployment benefits were due to expire December 11, 2010. The compromise package also contained a number of tax cuts: a two-year extension of the Bush tax cuts, a two-year estate tax cut, a two-year temporary cut in the payroll tax rate, equipment-purchase write-offs for businesses and various small-bore tax credits from the stimulus bill.<ref>Donny Shaw, [http://www.opencongress.org/articles/view/2126-What-Exactly-Is-In-Obama-s-Tax-Cut-Unemployment-Extension-Compromise- "What Exactly Is In Obama's Tax Cut/Unemployment Extension Compromise?"] ''OpenCongress blog'', Dec. 7, 2010.</ref>
-<u></u>'''11/2/09 Monday -''' Monday night the Senate followed through on the vote for cloture on the bill for HR 3548, setting in motion the next round of procedures to get the bill passed in the Senate and hopefully enacted this week. Donny Shaw of Open Congress has already provided a summary of what has happened and what to expect going forward here: [http://www.opencongress.org/articles/view/1337-Senate-Votes-to-End-Debate-on-Unemployment-Extension-Bill-Final-Passage-Likely-on-Wednesday/ Senate Votes to End Debate on Unemployment Extension Bill - Final Passage Likely on Wednesday] <br> <br>
+A few days later on December 9th, Democrats in the House voted to reject the compromise package that contained the unemployment extensions, expressing dissatisfaction for tax cuts for those making over $250,000 and the estate tax cut.<ref>Donny Shaw, [http://www.opencongress.org/articles/view/2129-House-Dems-Revolt-Vote-Down-Obama-s-Tax-Deal "House Dems Revolt, Vote Down Obama's Tax Deal,"] Dec. 9, 2010.</ref> With the extended benefits regime due to expire on December 11th, it is unclear what action Congress will take, if any.
-<u></u>'''10/31/09 Saturday -''' Finally! After many jobless Americans gave up for the day on any progress in passage of HR 3548 in the Senate, late Thursday (about 7:45 PM) Senator Reid essentially gave up all hope of an earlier compromise and filed for cloture on the bill AND a few amendments, paving the way for most likely (I hope that's not being too optimistic) vote on the bill by this coming Wednesday (Tuesday very late at the earliest).&nbsp;
+For the latest in news on bills that would extend unemployment benefits, see the [http://www.opencongress.org/blog/unemployment+benefits OpenCongress blog archive on that topic].
-For those wanting to see for themselves what happened on the floor, there are three pertinent video segments that can be viewed in CSPAN's library or transcript sections.&nbsp;
+See also the wiki article on [[Unemployment benefit votes|past unemployment benefit votes]].
-) At this link [http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/289698-1/ CSPAN video] for Thursday, Oct. 29, at 3:39 PM starts a dialogue at 370.10 on the tape between Senators Reid and McConnell during which Reid becomes exasperated at objections to simple appointments that Reid has apparently been trying to get through the Senate. After this, at 376.01 on the same tape, at 3:45 PM, Sen. Reid makes two attempts at a UC on HR 3548 with first two, then three bipartisan amendments. This fails because Sen. McConnell now insists that they accept yet another amendment regarding the TARP that Reid explains would kill the bill because the House has informed him that they would never accept it. They argue back and forth and at one point McConnell claims their side is being reasonable, and Reid exclaims that "reasonableness is in the eye of the beholder" and then laments the suffering that the unemployed are going through with these continually added amendments. Reid finally expresses his regret that because of all this there could be no vote on the bill that day, mentioning the possibility of a cloture. This ends about 387.50, or 3:57 PM.
+See below under "unemployment benefit legislation" for background on other bills on extended unemployment benefits.
-) Then much later in the day, after it seemed hopeless to many, Reid returns at 7:46 PM, at 616.33 on the same tape, when the Senate appears almost empty and McConnell is not there, and presents a seemingly dizzying array of cloture motions, both to the bill and to amendments, and amendments to amendments, wrapping the whole thing up with announcing that the vote for cloture would take place on Monday at 5 PM, preceded by one hour of debate at 4 PM.
-(The previous segments can also be viewed with transcripts in the CSPAN Congressional Chronicle at [http://www.c-spanarchives.org/congress/?q=node/69850&date=2009-10-29&hors=s/ Senate Oct 29] (Click on Oct 29 on calendar and then "Senate" at the top.)
-) Friday morning, Senator Reid, presiding over a "skeleton crew" in the Senate, states again that the cloture vote will be at 5 PM on Monday, and elaborates a bit on the two compromise amendments on the bill (in addition to the Reid-Baucus substitute amendment), which are the revised home buyers tax credit and an amendment for small businesses for loss carryback. "If, in fact, cloture is invoked Monday night, that would be done quickly. The House said they would accept that, and that could be done as early as Tuesday and signed by the President..." This segment can be viewed and read at [http://www.c-spanarchives.org/congress/?q=node/77531&id=9052873/ Senate Oct 30] (Click on Oct 30 on calendar and then "Senate" at the top.)
-<br> '''10/28/09 Wednesday - '''<br>
-After an encouraging moment Tuesday night, when senators voted 87-13 in a cloture vote to bring HR 3548 to the floor for debate (FINALLY!), Wednesday continued with yet more discussion and lack of agreement needed to speed the process up. This was while the restrictions of the "cloture clock" ran out at midnight, giving more options to Sen Reid starting Thursday. One tiny ray of hope reported later in the day was that an agreement was reached about one of the amendments under consideration, one for the home buyer tax credit extension. So Thursday more disagreement? A cloture vote on the bill or any amendment may be needed to force the bill to move forward again.
-'''10/24/09 Saturday. - '''<br>
-After much behind-the-scenes political wrangling, loads of confusion among those waiting to find out what's been happening with this bill, maximum frustration on the part of all parties involved, Senator Reid essentially became convinced Wednesday evening at 7:49 PM EST that he would have to give up on his&nbsp; attempts to speed up passage of the bill by a legislative process known as "unanimous consent," which can limit time for debate and amendments and other time-consuming procedures. At that time he made a motion to proceed on the bill in "regular" fashion, a more time-consuming path, but since so much time had gone by already in attempts at UC, it was really his only option.<br>
-At that time he also made a motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed, a process of "closing" debate on any motion. This week on the S. 1699 and HR 3548 forums there was heated debate (to put it mildly) about all the minute details of Senate rules and what those meant to the timing of passage on this bill. (The bill in question is HR 3548, but most posters have gravitated to the more populated S. 1699 forum that started revving up earlier on.)<br>
-Readers can slog through all this if they have insomnia, but in essence where we are at right now is a point of progress in getting this bill passed, even though there is no absolutely clear indication of how long it will take. After Wednesday night's motion for cloture, Senator Durbin and Reid apparently gathered enough certainty to announce that a cloture VOTE would take place on Tuesday, the 27th (so senators all need to show up on that day!) <br>
-A resident "parliamentarian" has emerged on the S. 1699 forum, Taylor09, who is studying to eventually become a lawyer, and she has had the patience to slog through reams of Senate rules to help everyone understand the little nuances of Senate procedures. I'll take some liberty to quote one of her posts about this new event:<br>
-''"Tuesday's vote to invoke cloture is on the Motion to Proceed only. (please understand this). It is a procedural step to get the bill to the floor. If they can reach an agreement (on time of debate and number of amendments), prior to the vote to invoke cloture, then there is no need for cloture. If they cannot reach an agreement, cloture will be invoked and within 30 hours the bill MUST be released to the floor."''<br>
-All the brouhaha about getting this bill to the floor and the Republican refusal to accept Reid's attempts at unanimous consent has to do with amendments that senators want to attach to this bill, which they know will pass, and therefore want to add all manner of kitchen sink amendments to it. (And since it is getting close to the end of term and health care legislation will probably take up a lot of floor time after this bill, they may see it as their only chance to tack on legislation this year.) Mainly Republicans, but also some Democrats have offered amendments. The Dems are accusing the Republicans of blocking the bill, which they did, and of offering unrelated amendments, which they did. On the other hand, the Dems are offering some amendments also (not as many) and they caused the initial delay by wrangling over the eligibility for all states (admittedly a necessary addition), while Reid's delay in using many UC attempts to bring this to the floor resulted in even further delay, as FrankDiscussion pointed out:<br>
-''"The wait is frustrating and Reid made a serious tactical error in continuing to try to get unanimous consent. Once he knew the republicans' intentions two weeks ago, he should have acted immediately to bring it out like he just did. What he hoped would be a way of speeding the process up (UC) ended up slowing it down big time."''<br>
-(Anybody else think this is starting to sound like a game of basketball or football, complete with Monday morning quarterbacking on the competing strategies? Political loyalties of the board posters run deep, but with the majority of posters disgusted with both parties at this point.)
-<br>
-<u>'''Bottom line:'''</u> This coming Tuesday unless Reid succeeds in a belated behind-the-scenes agreement for one more UC attempt, this bill moves to the floor and first will come a cloture vote on the motion to proceed, which will probably result in it proceeding to debate, then amendments will be offered. Those amendments will be discussed and voted on, possibly with more cloture limitations on number and time to debate. All these movements and the eventual bill in this "regular" process take it back to the House, where it is expected to very speedily be dealt with, provided any new amendments are ''completely'' out in left field, and then signed by the President immediately afterwards. No one knows the exact length of time, but there seems to be some consensus that this coming week there will be a major effort to get this bill and a few other bills OVER with this week and maybe into the next week. Two weeks estimate. (Don't sue me if it takes longer!)
-Then we all have to worry about how long the states will take to implement it all. Hopefully since it is EUC, not EB, it will be simpler.There is still lingering confusion about what is actually in this bill, and since amendments may be added, we can't say for sure, but the core of the bill will probably remain the same as for benefits. This bill is NOT retroactive, will be paid out only for weeks following date of passage, and applies to all those who have exhausted or will soon exhaust either EB or EUC in their states. For more, please see the lengthy posts in these forums, or you can find summaries here in previous news updates.
---nancym
-<br>
-<br>
-'''SUMMARY''': This was posted by NoGoodOnesLeft (NGOL) recently. It's a good shorthand version of what to expect if this amendment SA2668 and bill HR3548 pass as now written: <br>
-NEW TIERS OF EUC:<br>Tier 2 - 14 weeks for everyone.<br>Tier 3 - 13 weeks for at or over 6.5% 3 month average.<br>Tier 4 - 6 weeks for at or over 8.5% 3 month average.<br><br>They added Limitation rules so if your state already got Tier 2 - you will get the one extra week from the new Tier 2 and then will trigger on to Tier 3 for 13 weeks and if your state is at or over 8.5% average, then trigger on to Tier 4 for 6 more weeks.<br><br>If your state hasn't got the old Tier 2 of 13 weeks yet - you will get the 14 weeks and if your state goes to or over 6.5% average you will trigger on to Tier 3 for 13 more weeks and then if your state goes to or over 8.5% average trigger on to Tier 4 for 6 more weeks. <br>
-<u>Bottom line for individuals who have exhausted their benefits in a state under 8.5%: 14 weeks</u><br>
-<u>Bottom line for individuals who have exhausted their benefits in a state over 8.5%: 14 weeks + 6 weeks</u><br> <br><br>
 [[{{PAGENAME}}/News Archive|News Archive]]
 == Select a state to see information for your area  ==
+'''Please note:''' While editing this main page of the Benefit Wiki is restricted, individual state sections are editable by any member of Open Congress. If you don't see the "Edit" buttons when you go there, just log in at the top a second time with your regular login and you will be able to edit or add information there, using an email-like editing interface. Feel free to add any new information that will help the unemployed, but please, no commentary, these areas are for non-partisan resources only.<br>
 {| style="margin: 0em 0pt 0pt; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"
@@ Line 80: / Line 36: @@
 ###[http://www.opencongress.org/people/representatives/ Contacting your Representatives]
 ###[http://www.opencongress.org/people/senators/ Contacting your Senators]
-#[http://www.nelp.org/page/speakout/FedBensNow E-mail form from NELP]
+#Keep up with NELP.org petition drives--see www.nelp.org, and their site for the unemployed: [http://www.unemployedworkers.org/sites/unemployedworkers/index.php UnemployedWorkers.org]
 #[http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ White House Contact Info]
 #Write letters to local newspaper regarding the need for unemployment support. (One resource to use for creating letters online that can be sent to newspapers and periodicals is [http://www.publishaletter.com/ Publishaletter.com].)
-#Possible ideas if Senators and the President refuses to listen to us such as one term limit, etc.<br>
+#Join a local "Cube" of the Unemployed Workers Union: [http://www.unionofunemployed.com/ Union of Unemployed.com] Power in numbers!
-#SIGN PETITION: Asking Congress to please act now to extend benefits!!!!!!&nbsp; [[SIGN PETITION: Asking Congress to please act now to extend benefits!!!!!! http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/NeedExtendedBenefits/|http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/NeedExtendedBenefits/]]<br>
+<br><br>
-<br><br>
 == Survival links (please see individual states for local info) <br>  ==
@@ Line 92: / Line 47: @@
 [Note: This list of support links was started by Hope in Cali in an OC article titled "Help for the Unemployed till they pass the Bill." It has since been expanded here on the Benefit Wiki to reach more people and be accessible to all forums through the main Wiki link.]
-<br>
+<big>'''General support for the unemployed'''</big>
-=== General support for the unemployed  ===
 (Some organizations may be out of funds, or awaiting funds.)
@@ Line 113: / Line 66: @@
 *Think it's hard enough finding work, and then you've got to step through the mine field of scam ads on top of that? Check out these forums:
 *#[http://www.phishbucket.org/main/content/view/4155// Phishbucket.org]
 *#[http://clscambuster.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-do-i-report-scam-artist.html/ Craigslist Scambuster]
+*Free gas from the government??? This is a new program that apparently no one has heard of but is supposedly real. Check these sites for an explanation, and if you find out more, please give us your feedback on the forums or in the state sections of this Wiki.
+*#[http://www.investigativeguy.com/free-gas-cards/ Free Gas Cards]
+*#[http://www.ibtimes.com/prnews/20091108/new-hope-for-the-unemployed.htm/ New Hope for the Unemployed]
+*This site from the National Council on Aging acts as a clearing house for links to several sources of aid: [http://www.benefitscheckup.org/ Benefits Checkup]
+*Stressed out from the job search, the constant worry, need help with keeping up your spirits and maybe some practical help on job leads or networking strategies? Many state employment agencies have started up support and networking groups, but an organization with a long history of helping groups get together is [http://www.meetup.com/ Meetup.com]. Do a search on their site for "unemployed" to find groups in your area, or you can start your own. Meetup.com helps by transitioning online contacts into actual physical meetings by providing online resources to rate meeting places for your group, email and online notification of meetings, and other online resources to help in your organization.
+*Have a specific need? You can post a request for help and get actual donations for compelling need at this site that is essentially a public charity resource on the Internet: [http://www.modestneeds.org/ Modest Needs]
-<br>
+<big>'''Health care-related organizations'''</big>
-=== Health care-related organizations  ===
 *[http://www.freeclinics.us/freeclinic.php Free Clinics (free health services)]
 *[http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/promoContent/promoLandingTemplate.jsp?promoLandingId=1138 Free Flu shots at CVS stores]
-<br>
+<big>'''Housing and rental information'''</big>
-=== Housing and rental information  ===
 *Check in your individual states if you're a renter (or will soon be!) for the "[[Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing]]" program. These ARRA funds are apparently just now (September) trickling out to the states and may be used up pretty quickly. Looks like only the hardest hit counties, in Florida for example<ref name="Florida_ARRA">http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/realestate/orl-money-stops-evictions-091909,0,5766334.storyfckLR</ref>, are giving out the rent money, but it's $300 million going out nationwide. <ref name="ARRA_1">http://rhodeisland.realestaterama.com/2009/09/25/hud-announces-31-million-in-recovery-act-funding-to-prevent-homelessness-in-rhode-island-ID072.html</ref>
@@ Line 131: / Line 86: @@
 *For the more radical, but somewhat more risky approach, check out [http://takebacktheland.org/ Take Back the Land]
-<br>
+== General Benefits Info==
-<br>
-== General Benefits Info<br>  ==
-=== OpenCongress resources  ===
+<big>'''OpenCongress resources'''</big>
 *[[Unemployment benefits]]
 *[[Emergency unemployment compensation]]
-=== External resources  ===
+<big>'''External resources'''</big>
 *[http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/ Federal information on unemployment insurance]
@@ Line 148: / Line 99: @@
 *[http://www.job-hunt.org/state_unemployment_offices.shtml State unemployment offices]
 *[http://atlas.doleta.gov/unemploy/claims_arch.asp Trigger Reports for EUC and TUR]
-<br><br>
 == Here's what you can find on Benefit Wiki  ==
@@ Line 171: / Line 120: @@
 More background and individual contact information can be found on the [[Project:Benefit Wiki/Community Portal|Benefit Wiki community portal]].
+==Unemployment benefit legislation==
+The last big unemployment legislation was H.R.4213. The Senate was expected to vote to end a Republican filibuster of H.R.4213 on July 20, 2010. If this succeeds, the bill is extremely likely to be signed into law the same week.<ref>[http://www.opencongress.org/articles/view/1987-Senate-Breaks-GOP-Filibuster-of-Unemployment-Extension-Bill-Now-Set-to-Become-Law "Senate Breaks GOP Filibuster of Unemployment Extension, Bill Now Set to Become Law"], Donny Shaw</ref>
+'''S.AMDT.4425'''
+On July 20, 2010, the Senate is expected to vote to move forward with a substitute amendment that reduces H.R.4213 to just 13 pages (down from 426 pages). The new version's only substantial provision is an extension of unemployment insurance for people who have been out of work for 6 months or longer. The filing deadline for unemployment insurance benfits expired on June 2; the bill would extend that deadline until November 30, 2010, allowing people who exhaust their current tier of benefits, or who have exhausted their most recent tier since June 2nd, to file to move into the next tier of benefits. The bill provides for benefits to be paid back retroactively for people who have seen their payments cut off since the filing deadline expired on June 2.
+Additionally, there are three revenue-raiser provisions in the bill (changes to the Travel Promotion Act, cracking down on tax fraud committed by prisoners, and recessions from the Defense Department budget), which are estimated to raise $146 million over the next ten years.<ref>[http://www.opencongress.org/articles/view/1987-Senate-Breaks-GOP-Filibuster-of-Unemployment-Extension-Bill-Now-Set-to-Become-Law "Senate Breaks GOP Filibuster of Unemployment Extension, Bill Now Set to Become Law"], Donny Shaw</ref>
+'''SA2668 and HR3548'''
+This was posted by [[User:NoGoodOnesLeft|NoGoodOnesLeft]] (NGOL) recently. It's a good shorthand version of what to expect if this amendment SA2668 and bill HR3548 pass as now written: <br>
+NEW TIERS OF EUC:<br>Tier 2 - 14 weeks for everyone.<br>Tier 3 - 13 weeks for at or over 6.5% 3 month average.<br>Tier 4 - 6 weeks for at or over 8.5% 3 month average.<br><br>They added Limitation rules so if your state already got Tier 2 - you will get the one extra week from the new Tier 2 and then will trigger on to Tier 3 for 13 weeks and if your state is at or over 8.5% average, then trigger on to Tier 4 for 6 more weeks.<br><br>If your state hasn't got the old Tier 2 of 13 weeks yet - you will get the 14 weeks and if your state goes to or over 6.5% average you will trigger on to Tier 3 for 13 more weeks and then if your state goes to or over 8.5% average trigger on to Tier 4 for 6 more weeks. <br>
+<u>Bottom line for individuals who have exhausted their benefits in a state under 8.5%: 14 weeks</u><br>
+<u>Bottom line for individuals who have exhausted their benefits in a state over 8.5%: 14 weeks + 6 weeks</u><br>
+==References==
+<References/>
 [[Category:Project:Benefit_Wiki]]

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