Latest from The Spokesman-Review

• Washington, Idaho trim weeks of unemployment pay

  April 3, 2012 in Business, City, Idaho Long-term unemployment benefits are being reduced sharply in Washington and Idaho. Later this month, most unemployed workers will be cut off after 73 weeks of long-term payments in Washington, the … 4

• Jobless benefits may change

  March 22, 2012 in Business on Page A7 Unemployment benefits may be changed as Washington’s jobless rate improves. The maximum weeks of benefits will likely be reduced from 99 to 73 by the middle of April. The extended … 1

• Washington jobless rate falls to 8.3 percent

  March 1, 2012 in Business on Page A10 Washington’s unemployment rate dropped to 8.3 percent in January as 13,200 jobs were created. The improved jobless numbers were led by stronger hiring in professional and business services, retail trade, … 1

• Unemployment benefits given despite outlandish scenarios

  October 16, 2011 in Business on Page E2 I always get feedback on these columns, and I like that. Even the people who think I’m crazy are still paying attention and reading in print or online. But the … 2

• Audit: Idaho improperly paid $82 million in benefits

  September 22, 2011 in Business, Idaho An Idaho agency that doles out unemployment benefits improperly made about $82 million in payments over a three-year period, a federal audit fou 1

• Caldwell: Good news, good jobs work well together

  May 22, 2011 in Business on Page E1 April was a good month for Washington’s unemployed: 5,800 of them went back to work. The gain raised the 12-month improvement to 41,500, a good-news story even if those still …

• Washington jobless rate climbs

  April 14, 2011 in Business on Page A10 Washington’s unemployment rate climbed in March despite a gain of 1,110 jobs, the Employment Security Department said Wednesday. The March unemployment rate was 9.2 percent, a notch higher than the …

• Senate delays vote on unemployment insurance rate hike

  February 3, 2011 in City on Page A8 OLYMPIA – Senate Democrats had to delay a vote Wednesday on a plan to spare businesses from millions in higher unemployment insurance taxes after Republicans said the plan didn’t help …

• Coordinator discusses AARP’s free tax preparation program

  January 31, 2011 in Business, City on Page A5 Tax season begins in earnest Tuesday, and AARP will again offer free tax preparation at numerous Tax-Aide centers in the Inland Northwest. John Viveiros is the Spokane district coordinator for … 6

• Holidays time for survival as jobless benefits run out

  December 2, 2010 in Business on Page A8 Shawn Slonsky’s children know by now not to give him Christmas lists filled with the latest gizmos. The 44-year-old union electrician is one of nearly 2 million Americans whose extended … 2

• House approves additional jobless benefits

  July 22, 2010 in Nation/World Congress has approved legislation to restore unemployment benefits to people who have been out of work for six months or more, ending a seven-week interruption that caused 2 1/2 million … 4

• Unemployment benefits extension clears hurdle

  July 20, 2010 in Nation/World Legislation to restore unemployment benefits to millions who have been out of work for more than six months broke free of Senate Republican delaying tactics today.

• Obama to GOP: Restore unemployment benefits now

  July 19, 2010 in Nation/World President Barack Obama took aim at Republican lawmakers today, accusing them of holding the public hostage to Washington politics by blocking extended unemployment benefits for millions of out of work … 23

• Benefits for jobless lapse

  July 2, 2010 in Nation/World on Page A3 WASHINGTON – More than 1.3 million laid-off workers won’t get their unemployment benefits reinstated before Congress goes on a weeklong break for Independence Day. And hundreds of thousands more will … 1

• Business update: Data suggest recovery is fizzling

  July 1, 2010 in Business Fears that the economic recovery is fizzling grew Thursday after the government and private sector issued weak reports on a number of fronts. Unemployment claims are up, home sales are … 3

• $18 billion jobless benefits bill goes to Obama

  April 15, 2010 in Nation/World Congress is sending President Barack Obama an $18 billion bill to restore unemployment benefits for people who have been out of a job for months and resume full Medicare payments … 6

• Jobless benefits bill rebounds in Senate

  April 14, 2010 in Nation/World After weeks of partisan struggle that caused more than 400,000 people to miss unemployment checks, a bill restoring those benefits is on track to pass the Senate as early as … 1

• Extension of jobless benefits clears GOP roadblock

  April 12, 2010 in Nation/World Democrats in the Senate won an initial skirmish Monday to restore unemployment benefits to hundreds of thousands of jobless people despite Republican criticism that it would add $9 billion to … 7

• Jobless aid measure passes Senate

  March 10, 2010 in Nation/World The Senate voted Wednesday to extend a host of soon-to-expire elements of last year’s economic stimulus measure, including help for the jobless and money to help financially strapped states pay … 4

• Idaho pays out record in unemployment benefits

  January 7, 2010 in Idaho Idaho borrowed $108 million in interest-free loans from the federal government in 2009 to help pay a record amount in unemployment insurance benefits to out-of-work residents, according to state records. 1

• Senate extends jobless benefits, home tax credit

  November 5, 2009 in Nation/World on Page A1 WASHINGTON – The Senate voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to provide the jobless with up to 20 weeks in additional unemployment benefits and expand a first-time homebuyer tax credit to include a … 1

• Rates qualify states’ jobless for 20 weeks

  November 5, 2009 in City on Page A14 Because Idaho and Washington have had jobless rates higher than 8.5 percent over the past three months, the unemployed in both states could qualify for six weeks of federal unemployment …

• Senate Democrats reach deal on extending benefits

  October 8, 2009 in Nation/World Senate Democrats said Thursday they have reached a deal to extend unemployment insurance benefits to the nearly 2 million jobless workers across the country who are in danger of running …

• Wash. Legislature closer to passing unemployment benefit boost

  February 12, 2009 in City, Region The Legislature moved a step closer Thursday to passing a plan to temporarily increase the state’s weekly unemployment benefits.

• Payouts put strain on fund

  February 7, 2009 in City on Page A10 Unemployment benefit payouts in Idaho have hit new records almost every week since November began, the state Department of Labor reported Friday. The situation has created a dramatic drain on …