By Dave Lucas
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-887627.mp3
Albany, NY – On Sunday thousands of New Yorkers' unemployment benefits run out. Government leaders across the nation are calling for Congress to extend unemployment insurance. Capital District Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports.
Without a federal extension, some 575,000 jobless New Yorkers will exhaust their benefits when the month ends. Labor officials say "This is a desperate situation as the long-term unemployed make up a staggering 40% of the total unemployed in the state!" Many New Yorkers have been spared from going on public assistance: because of all the extension, we have not reached the 99-week maximum benefit cap. At the end of March 46-thousand New Yorkers WILL reach that 99-week number. Dan Moran with Next Act of Colonie points out that there are currently over 5-thousand job postings in the Capital Region. Moran says The Capital Region continues to outpace the larger markets of Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse for job postings.