A national advocacy organization says a change in Illinois' laws would allow unemployed workers to qualify for 13 to 20 weeks of additional federal benefits.
These funds come from the economic stimulus package and would be available after workers have exhausted their state and emergency federal benefits.
The federal government will pick up the tab for the extended benefits. Normally, the states have to pay half.
But the National Employment Law Project says laws in Illinois and several other states are written in a way that keeps workers from collecting the benefits.
Unless lawmakers act, workers whose federal benefits run out this month or next month could be left without any payments in the midst of a worsening job market.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
