Frequently Asked Questions 

Employment and Benefits

• Where do I find out about jobs?
• What has been the affect of recovery funds in Oklahoma?
• What has been the affect of ARRA on unemployment benefits?
• What are the details of an extension in unemployment benefits?
• Does increasing unemployment benefits stimulate the economy?
• Did ARRA provide a tax break on my unemployment benefits?
• Did the federal recovery plan help displaced workers with their health insurance?
  

Question: Where do I find out about jobs?

Answer: Visit the Oklahoma Job Link website. This site provides links to current information for job seekers and for unemployment benefits. Other information about jobs can be found on the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission website (link opens in a new window).

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Question: What has been the affect of recovery funds in Oklahoma?

Answer: The influx of economic recovery funds has created or saved thousands of jobs in Oklahoma, including many in the private sector. recovery funds have been put to work in such areas as road and bridge construction, public transit, repairing sewer and water systems and installing broadband capacity. The plan is creating new jobs for tomorrow, building demand for alternative energy products and projects by investing in a new energy infrastructure and weatherizing homes and businesses. Recovery money has allowed for the training and education of more Oklahoma workers for new jobs in emerging and high-demand industries.

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Question: What has been the affect of ARRA on unemployment benefits?

Answer:  The economic recovery package included an increase in unemployment insurance benefits for most Oklahoma recipients. It:

• Increased weekly unemployment benefits by $25 on top of the unemployment benefits jobless workers currently receive;
• Applied the federally-funded $25 increase per week beginning Feb. 22, 2009 and ending before Jan. 1, 2010, and to be phased out by June 30, 2010;
• Extended the increase to recipients who receive benefits through any of the following programs:
  • State unemployment benefits
  • Federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation
  • Extended Benefits
  • Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees
  • Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Military Personnel
  • Disaster Unemployment Assistance
  • Trade Readjustment Allowances

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Question: What are the details of an extension in unemployment benefits?

Answer:  The economic recovery plan extends the time Oklahoma recipients can receive unemployment benefits. The recovery plan:

• Moved the ending date for the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program to Dec. 31, 2009, and phased out remaining EUC payments by June 5, 2010; 
• Provides up to an additional 20 weeks of EUC benefits to unemployed workers who exhaust their state unemployment benefits, and since Oklahoma has a high rate of unemployment, up to 13 weeks additional weeks of EUC are paid in the state;
• Gave Oklahoma workers up to 33 weeks of Emergency Unemployment Compensation; and

Besides the provisions in the Recovery Act, Congress extended some emergency benefits in 2010. More information on emergency benefits is available on the U.S. Department of Labor website (Link opens in a new window).

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Question: Does increasing unemployment benefits stimulate the economy?

Answer: According to the U.S. Department of Labor, every dollar in unemployment benefits creates on average at least $2.15GDP, while chief economist Mark Zandi of Moody's Economy.com reports that every dollar in unemployment benefits creates at least $1.63 in economic activity.                 

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Question: Did ARRA provide a tax break on my unemployment benefits?

Answer: Yes. Under the federal economic recovery plan, $2,400 in unemployment benefits paid in 2009 will not be subject to federal tax. More details are available on the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission website (link opens in a new window).

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Question: Did the federal recovery plan help displaced workers with their health insurance?

Answer:  Workers who left or were involuntarily terminated from a job with health insurance benefits have been able to maintain their insurance coverage for up to 18 months by paying the premiums themselves under the federal provisions contained in the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). Employers were required to notify workers of their eligibility for COBRA, and then workers had 60 days to elect coverage. However, insurance coverage through COBRA is expensive. 

To help people maintain health insurance coverage, the recovery plan provides a federal subsidy of 65 percent for COBRA continuation premiums for up to 9 months for workers who have been involuntarily terminated, and for their families. In total, the recovery plan was expected to provide approximately $800 million in health insurance subsidies for Oklahoma taxpayers.                 

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