Uneven Jobless Benefits by State

Congress took a big step forward in restoring jobless benefits for people who have been out of work for more than six months. Under a deal worked out by a bipartisan group of senators Thursday, checks would go out again to more than 2 million Americans who were cut off at the end of last year, when Congress let the extended benefits program expire.

Check out the gimmick in the federal jobless bill.

But, the bill could represent a step backward for workers counting on retiring on a private pension: It allows employers to slow down contributions to pension funds. This twist in the bill regarding pension funding is likely to raise concerns about more burden on taxpayers. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget notes that “underfunding pensions makes it more likely that a company will need a bailout from the federally funded Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.”

This is not the first time Congress has raided the private pension fund cookie jar to raise some quick cash. A provision attached to the 2012 federal highway bill, known as MAP-21, cut required minimum pension contributions by $147.5 billion, according to an analysis by benefits consultant Towers Watson.

Uneven Benefits.

The duration of job benefits is pegged to state unemployment rates. Hover over your state to see how many weeks are currently available.

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