National Women's Law Center

How the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Addresses Women’s Needs

Unemployment Insurance

With women’s unemployment rate rising quickly, the Act will expand unemployment insurance (UI) coverage for jobless workers, especially women, as well as extend and increase benefits. It provides:

One-time grants to encourage states to enact specific reforms that will eliminate barriers UI coverage for low-wage and part-time workers, workers who leave for compelling family reasons, and their dependents.
Up to 33 weeks of extended UI benefits to workers exhausting their regular benefits.
$25 per week increase in UI benefits through 2009.
An additional $500 million to help states administer UI.