U.S. Labor Department announces release of nearly $10.5 million in unemployment insurance modernization incentive funds to New Hampshire

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has certified for release $10,467,073 in unemployment insurance (UI) modernization incentive funds to the state of New Hampshire. New Hampshire qualified for the funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) by allowing workers to use their more recent earnings to qualify for benefits. New Hampshire's approved application will be posted at the department's Employment and Training Administration Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/recovery.

"New Hampshire recognizes the importance of helping workers who have entered the workforce recently and lost their jobs through no fault of their own," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "Especially now, when jobs are harder to find, it is essential that these workers receive the benefits they deserve."

The New Hampshire Department of Employment Security can use the funds to pay unemployment benefits or, if appropriated by the legislature, for administering its unemployment insurance program or delivering employment services.

"New Hampshire families and businesses are being impacted by this recession, and I believe strongly we should do what we can to assist families through these difficult economic times," said Gov. John Lynch. "These funds will better enable us to assist our hard-working men and women to provide for their families as they look for a new job."

The Recovery Act made a total of $7 billion available in UI modernization incentive payments to states that include certain eligibility provisions in their UI programs. Each state can qualify for a share of those funds by showing that its law includes those provisions. To date, along with New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Jersey and South Dakota each have been certified by the Labor Department to receive a share of the funds.