Louisiana’s current maximum benefit length is 26 weeks, and the state’s unemployment rate as of March was 3.6%, according to data from the St. Louis Fed. The maximum weekly benefit would fall by 14 weeks (from 26 weeks to 12 weeks) if the bill becomes law and the unemployment rate remains stable.
Unemployment insurance is a joint federal and state program that provides temporary monetary benefits to eligible laid-off workers who are actively seeking new employment. Qualifying individuals receive unemployment compensation as a percentage of their lost wages in the form of weekly cash benefits while they search for new employment.
The federal government oversees the general administration of state unemployment insurance programs. The states control the specific features of their unemployment insurance programs, such as eligibility requirements and length of benefits.
For information about unemployment insurance programs across the country, click here.
