Jobless Benefits Vary Widely By State

ByABC News
November 2, 2001, 10:43 AM

Nov. 2 -- Today's headlines tell only part of the unemployment story in the United States.

By the latest count from the U.S. Department of Labor, there are 7.7 million people out of work across the country. Only 41 percent of them qualify for and are collecting unemployment benefits.

What's happening with the rest of them? Some experts say they're facing real inequities.

The Other 59 Percent

The federal government established the idea of unemployment insurance during the Great Depression, but gave the control of the programs over to the states. Since Washington has no say over the matter, requirements for qualifying vary widely from state to state.

"Some states have generous benefits and difficult eligibility standards. Some states have paltry benefits and relatively easy standards. In all states, simply being unemployed isn't enough to qualify for benefits," said Jeffrey Wenger, economist for the Washington-based Economic Policy Institute.

Whether you'll be able to collect money while out of work and looking for a job depends on a number of factors, ranging from how long you had your last job, the number of hours a week you worked, the money you earned to how you lost your job.

As a result, many lower income and part-time workers are being turned down.

Hardest Hit

The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 have left a scar on nearly every industry in the country. But perhaps the hardest hit is the travel and tourism business. The airlines alone have announced more than 90,000 layoffs.

Marjorie Goldstein of Pittsburgh was among the 11,000 employees let go by US Airways in late September. After 15 years as a stay-at-home mom to three children, Goldstein wanted to do something outside of the house. She completed training as a flight attendant in March, and six months later found herself out of work.

But when she called the Pennsylvania unemployment office, she found out she hadn't worked long enough to qualify for benefits.

Goldstein said she was surprised to learn that after paying into the system for a half-year she was ineligible to collect. "That's what unemployment benefits are for," she said.