Press Release

LONG-TERM JOBLESS REMAIN FORGOTTEN
AS THE ECONOMY STILL FAILS TO PRODUCE JOBS

For the First Time in More than Fifty Years, Federal Jobless
Benefits Denied at Today’s Levels of Long-Term Unemployment

For immediate release, January 9, 2003
Contact: Jason Dring, 202-518-8047

WASHINGTON, DC—The Labor Department announced today that the job market stalled in December with payrolls increasing by a nominal 1,000 jobs in December, as the unemployment rate settled to the still-elevated level of 5.7 percent.  Significantly, over 1.9 million workers have remained jobless more than six months, which accounts for 22.3 percent of the 8.4 million unemployed.  December represented the worst month jobs report since August, when payrolls came out of a string of monthly losses.  Payroll growth continues to fall short of the 150,000 per month needed just to keep up with growth in the working age population.

Despite the massive ranks of the long-term unemployed, President Bush and the Republican leadership in Congress continue to reject all calls to reauthorize the extension of jobless benefits, which expired beginning December 21. This is the first time in over 50 years that long-term joblessness has reached such high rates without workers being offered any federal jobless benefits.   Each time the rate of long-term joblessness surpassed 22.3 percent in the past 50 years (January 1983-January 1984 and October 1992), federal jobless benefits were still available. 

“President Bush and the Republican leadership in Congress are willing to buck 50 years of history, for the first time denying all federal jobless benefits at today’s major levels of long-term unemployment, even as disappointing job growth is reported,” said Maurice Emsellem, Policy Director at the National Employment Law Project.  “Many of the nation’s best trained and most experienced workers—who now make up large ranks of the long-term jobless—have yet to see any measurable rebound in the manufacturing and high-tech industries that laid them off.” 

“Disproportionate numbers of mid-level professionals are keenly aware of the absence of opportunities comparable to those they've dedicated careers to over the past decade.  I've been unemployed before, but I've never seen so few qualified positions available.  Call me a cynic for not celebrating the alleged recovery, but I'm living it everyday." said Tom Leh of Boca Raton, Florida. For 15 years, Mr. Leh worked in marketing and product management for telecommunications and manufacturing firms.  His state unemployment benefits run out next week—just one of 90,000 workers a week who will also not qualify for any federal jobless assistance.

Each week, as tens of thousands of long-term unemployed workers now run out of their limited state jobless benefits, they will be looking to their elected officials for answers.  Governors from across the country and members of Congress from both parties have thus joined the call to restore federal unemployment benefits as the first order of business when Congress reconvenes January 20.  “Time is running out fast for these workers and their families.  How much longer will President Bush and the Congressional leadership ignore the reality of today’s long-term jobless and provide the help that they desperately need?” asked Mr. Emsellem.

Long-term unemployed workers are available to speak with the press.  Many of their stories are also available on-line at www.UnemployedWorkers.org.  To schedule interviews, please contact Jason Dring at 202-518-8047.

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