Thousands of jobless Ohioans are in danger of running out of their unemployment benefits early next year, if Congress doesn't renew a federal extension of benefits. Ben Johnson is with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
"70,000 people will exhaust their unemployment compensation in January, another 36, 000, almost 37,000 in February, about 58,000 in March and more than 10,000 between March and June but the numbers are smaller," says Johnson.
Currently, some Ohioans are receiving as many as 99 weeks of unemployment benefits, but if Congress does not renew federal benefits, unemployed people here will receive only the state share --26 weeks worth. Congressional Democrats are pushing for the extension but many Republicans say the government cannot afford another extension, unless spending cuts are made in some other programs.