As many as 2.2 million unemployed workers nationwide stand to lose their jobless checks after the first of the year unless Congress acts to continue extended benefits, according to the U.S. Labor Department.

Normally the unemployed get a maximum of 26 weeks of state jobless benefits after they are laid off. However, because of the depth and length of this economic downturn, Congress has approved five additional tiers of extended benefits giving those out of work up to 99 weeks of unemployment checks.

Those extensions, however, are due to expire at the end of the year. President Barack Obama’s jobs bill would have continued those extended benefits another year but the Senate could not muster the votes to pass it.

Congress is expected to take up individual proposals in the president’s jobs bill, but it is unclear whether there is support for continued extended benefits.

If Congress does not act, those newly unemployed after the first of the year will only be eligible for a maximum 26 weeks of benefits. Those already collecting benefits will be able to complete the tier they currently are on before being cut off.

For example, if someone starts collecting Tier 2 benefits by Jan. 1, they will be able to get all 14 weeks of benefits, but will not be eligible for Tier 3.

“They get to collect whatever tier they happen to be on,” said Loree Levy, a spokeswoman for the state Employment Development Department. (See the EDD schedule below for deadlines to start claims.)

Schedule for unemployment eligibility

UI Claims Maximum Benefits Deadline for Starting Claim Regular UI Claim Up to 26 weeks Once unemployed 1st Tier of Federal Extension Up to 20 weeks Dec. 25,2011 2nd Tier of Federal Extension Up to 14 weeks Jan. 1, 2012 3rd Tier of Federal Extension Up to 13 weeks Jan. 1, 2012 4th Tier of Federal Extension Up to 6 weeks Jan. 1, 2012 Separate FED-ED Extension Up to 20 weeks Jan. 1, 2012 POTENTIAL MAXIMUM BENEFITS Up to 99 weeks

As of August, there were 988,000 Californians who had been out of work more than six months and collecting extended benefits. The state’s unemployment rate was 12.1 percent, the second highest in the nation after Nevada.

More than 538,000 of the state’s unemployed had exhausted all 99 weeks of their jobless benefits as of Oct. 11. It is not known how many of those subsequently found work.

Stay tuned here for the latest on the unemployment extension debate. You can also keep up on the latest unemployment news by following the EDD on Twitter or on Facebook.

So tell us … Do you think benefits for the long-term unemployed should be extended?

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