Georgia Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond is calling on the state’s United States senators, Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss, to support quick approval of an extension of federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) and federal funding for state extended benefits (SEB).

The commissioner noted that the legislation would not affect Georgia’s regular state unemployment insurance program.

In December of 2009, the unemployment rate for Lincoln County registered 11.4 percent, up from 10.9 percent in November and 9.6 percent in December of 2008. The December 2009 unemployment rate for the CSRA was 9.8 percent.

The data also reflected that 3,427 county residents had jobs, and 443 were unemployed but actively seeking work.

Moreover, 95 first-time unemployment insurance claims were filed by residents of Lincoln County in January of 2010 – the total was 144 in December of 2009.

“Without the proposed extensions, benefits to about 8,000 laid-off Georgia workers, currently receiving state extended benefits, will be cut off this week,” explained Commissioner Thurmond. “It is critical that the United States Congress extend these benefits and thereby provide muchneeded additional relief to these laidoff workers.

“Our state’s job market is not yet strong enough to absorb the thousands of unemployed workers who are exhausting their benefits while trying to find jobs.”

The current unemployment rate in Georgia is 10.3 percent.

Unemployment rates for counties in the vicinity of Lincoln County include Wilkes County, 11.5 percent; Taliaferro County, 16.4 percent; Warren County, 18.4 percent; and Hancock County, 21.4 percent.