Texas unemployment benefits extended

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The Federal Legislature has extended unemployment benefits for approximately 120,000 Texans who would have exhausted them on December 31, 2012.

The extension extends through January 1, 2014 for the qualifying jobless in Texas after President Obama signed the law into affect Wednesday.

Claimants should continue to request unemployment benefits on their scheduled day.

The extension does not provide for additional assistance if you have already exhausted regular state unemployment benefits or Federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation.

Unemployment insurance (UI) benefit recipients can find updated information on their claims by logging on to ui.texasworkforce.org , or by calling the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Tele-Serv at 800-558-8321 and selecting Option 2 (Claim Status).

The Texas Workforce Commission says benefits are federally funded, and Texas employers will not be charged for any claims paid on this extension.

TWC serves 28 local Workforce Development Boards providing work search assistance, training and other services to unemployed Texans.

Job postings are available on WorkInTexas.com , TWC’s online job-matching website.