Rhode Island Jobs To Be Helped By Stimulus

Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri has officially certified that the State will receive funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) - a big step toward helping citizens find jobs in Rhode Island.

“By certifying that Rhode Island will participate in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, we are on the path back to economic recovery,” said Governor Carcieri. “I pledge to work with the General Assembly, our congressional delegation, and our cities and towns to identify and agree upon projects quickly, to maximize the federal stimulus dollars available to Rhode Island, and to get our economy moving again.”

The Governor will certify the receipt of federal unemployment insurance funds increasing benefits by an additional $25 per week. Individuals currently collecting unemployment insurance benefits are now eligible to collect an additional $25 each week. Whether individuals are entitled to regular unemployment insurance, Rhode Island Extended Benefits or Federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation payments, they will receive an additional $25 in their weekly benefit payments. The week ending February 28 is the first eligible week for the program, and payouts are scheduled to begin on March 2.

“The additional $25 per week in unemployment benefits is a small, but important, first step to helping individuals who have lost their jobs,” said Governor Carcieri.

Existing unemployment insurance customers do not need to apply separately for these benefits, which will be added automatically to their weekly payments. For the week ending February 14, Rhode Island had a total unemployment insurance claim load of approximately 38,500. Of these, approximately 2,400 were new claims.

The Governor is also seeking to move ahead with additional changes in unemployment benefits, allowing the state to maximize the $23.5 million in available stimulus funds.