A two-month extension of unemployment benefits has been approved.

Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Spokeswoman Angela Terez says the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provided temporary full federal funding of State Extended Benefits.

Terez says as a result, eligible Ohioans who had exhausted both regular state unemployment and federal extended unemployment have been able to receive an additional 20 weeks of compensation.

She says due to Congress’ vote last week, to extend federal funding for State Extended Benefits, Ohio’s program will not end on January 7th of 2012, as expected.



Terez says ODJFS estimated that almost 25,000 Ohioans would have exhausted their unemployment compensation when the program ended, but says now that the extension has been approved, claimants will not notice any changes to their benefits.



Terez says claimants should remember to continue to file for benefits and says for those still looking for employment she encourages jobseekers to visit www.ohiomeansjobs.com



Terez says, so far, claimants have received between 79 and 99 weeks of unemployment compensation.