Economy, Unemployment Benefits | featured news

The U.S. Senate was poised on Wednesday to extend aid for jobless workers and broaden tax breaks for homebuyers and businesses in a bill aimed at breathing life into the US economy.

A lawyer made redundant during the economic downturn has had her benefits suspended – because she earns cents a day from her personal food blog.

The number of newly laid-off workers seeking unemployment benefits fell for the third straight week, evidence that layoffs are continuing to ease in the earliest stages of an economic recovery.

The government says the number of newly-laid off workers seeking unemployment insurance fell last week, fresh evidence that layoffs are easing.

To get nervous consumers to buy, companies are promising refunds, and sometimes more, in the event of a job loss.

Nine states are considering rejecting federal stimulus money meant to extend unemployment benefits.

Almost 5 million Americans continued to draw jobless benefits late last month, and new requests again exceeded 600,00 as companies lay off scores of workers.

The government says the number of people receiving unemployment benefits has reached an all-time high as layoffs spread throughout the economy.