Law extends benefits and addresses a key injustice

President Obama finally signed an unemployment extension that will prevent 2 million Americans from falling off the rolls between now and November. The law also addresses the issue of workers whose benefits were drastically reduced if they took temporary jobs during a period of unemployment.

Previously, a worker collecting an unemployment claim on a decent salary, the maximum claim, would have their benefits reduced drastically if they took a part-time job during their benefits period. Under the old regulations, if Joe Schmo took a job shoveling snow for a few weeks, he might see his $400 weekly benefit reduced to $150 a week after being re-calculated. Now Joe's benefit will still be calculated at the rate he would have received after losing his "real" job, not the rate he would receive after losing his temporary job.

The provision of full benefits is not retroactive and will not help workers who have already seen their benefits reduced, but it does at least address a gross unfairness that existed in the system.

What we really need now is an aggressive jobs bill. We need it before November. Anyone in D.C. listening?