Jobless benefits to end for 29,000 SC residents - WCIV-TV | ABC News 4 - Charleston News, Sports, Weather

Jobless benefits to end for 29,000 SC residents

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - The state's unemployment agency says about 29,000 South Carolinians will stop receiving jobless benefits at year's end as federally funded extensions expire.

The state Department of Employment and Workforce sent a reminder Tuesday that payments to those in the federal program will stop by Jan. 3. The agency says that means the loss of $6.2 million weekly.

Anyone filing for unemployment insurance after Dec. 29 will be eligible only for the maximum under state law of 20 weeks of benefits paid by employers.

Unemployed South Carolinians had qualified for up to 78 weeks of payments thanks to two different federally paid extensions. 1 of those expired in April. A law passed by Congress in February phased out the other.

Congress initially approved those 42 weeks of emergency benefits in 2008.