Typically, eligible unemployed workers can receive UI benefits for up to  26 weeks in most states, though individuals may be eligible for fewer  weeks. 1). 2 Million of Those Who Lost Jobs in the Recession Years Exhausted UI Benefits by Early 2010

		Half of Workers Who Lost Jobs in the Recession Years Received UI, an Increase from Prior Years

The number of displaced workers increased substantially during the  recession years, and proportionately more of them received UI than in the  3 years prior to the recession. 2). 3). 2 Million Displaced Workers Exhausted UI by January 2010, with More since Then

Two million of the 7.5 million workers who lost jobs from 2007 to 2009  and received UI had exhausted their UI benefits by January 2010, based  on the 2010 Displaced Worker Supplement (see fig. Many UI Exhaustees Faced Difficult Economic Circumstances, but Few Were Likely to Qualify for TANF

		18 Percent of Exhaustees Were in Poverty in 2009

For those who lost jobs from 2007 to 2009 and exhausted UI, the CPS  data suggest that many faced difficult economic circumstances. Among the exhaustees who were unemployed in January 2010, about  half appeared to have worked at some point in the previous year. These data suggest that some exhaustees may have been  helped by other sources of income, such as a household member who  was earning income in 2009, or income from assets, such as interest or  dividends. The majority  of UI exhaustees would not have qualified because they did not have a  minor child—55 percent of exhaustees did not have a child age 18 or  younger in their household. Significantly more of the households of UI exhaustees received  benefits from Social Security programs (18 percent for retirement,  Disability Insurance, and survivors programs) or Supplemental Nutrition  Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp  Program)(15 percent) than from TANF. Among the households of UI exhaustees that  had minor children and income below 200 percent of the federal poverty  threshold, less than 10 percent received TANF or other welfare benefits in  2009 (see table 4). More than one-third of these households received  SNAP benefits. Most State UI Agencies Reported Efforts to Provide UI Exhaustees with Information about Other Support Programs

While there are no federal requirements to refer UI exhaustees to other  support programs, most (45) of the state UI agencies we surveyed reported providing information or connections to support programs for exhaustees.These connections are made in a number of ways, such as through  websites, mail, staff referrals, and interagency coordination (see table 5). In Washington state, a multiagency working group created a detailed  demographic analysis of potential exhaustees, shared data on  exhaustees across agencies, developed a resource guide that was  mailed to exhaustees and posted online, and established a new unit  of employees and a phone number to handle questions from  individuals about to exhaust UI. Despite the temporary benefit extensions,  however, some individuals have exhausted UI benefits without a job, and  a significant percentage have low incomes. Those  eligible for Social Security retirement, disability, or survivors programs  appear to have turned to those programs. Specifically, we analyzed pertinent data from two supplements to the Current  Population Survey (CPS): the Displaced Worker Supplement and the  Annual Social and Economic Supplement;  conducted a web-based survey with Unemployment Insurance (UI)  agencies in 50 states and the District of Columbia;  conducted structured phone interviews with officials from 16 state  Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) agencies; analyzed data on the UI program from the Department of Labor  (Labor), on the TANF program from the Department of Health and  Human Services (HHS), and on the Supplemental Nutrition  Assistance Program (SNAP) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture  (USDA); and  conducted interviews with officials from Labor and HHS, as well as  researchers, and reviewed applicable federal laws and regulations,  studies, and policy documents. More specifically, the estimate of the  number of displaced workers who exhausted UI does not include workers  who may have exhausted UI at some point after January 2010. The 16 states we selected to interview were chosen to represent a range  of unemployment rates and TANF cash assistance caseloads and to  achieve geographic diversity.
Why GAO Did This Study

The recession of 2007 to 2009 was the most severe in the United States since the 1930s, resulting in a net loss of 7.5 million jobs. Workers who lose a job through no fault of their own (referred to as displaced workers in this report) may turn to financial assistance offered through the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program. Currently, through benefit extensions authorized by Congress, eligible displaced workers can receive UI benefits for up to 99 weeks in certain states. However, with the slow economic recovery, some may exhaust UI benefits without finding a new job. This raises questions about how Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), a program that provides cash assistance to low-income families with children, and other support programs are aiding those who have exhausted UI benefits.
GAO was asked to examine: (1) how many of the workers who lost jobs in the recession received and exhausted UI; (2) what are the economic circumstances of those who exhausted UI, and how many received support from TANF and other programs; and (3) the extent to which UI agencies refer those exhausting UI to other support programs. GAO analyzed data from the Current Population Surveys 2008 and 2010 Displaced Worker Supplements and the 2010 Annual Social and Economic Supplement and data from the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services. GAO also surveyed 51 state UI agencies and conducted interviews with 16 state TANF agencies, selected to reflect a range of unemployment rate changes in recent years.
GAO is making no recommendations in this report.

What GAO Found

Among the 15 million workers who lost jobs from 2007 to 2009, half received Unemployment Insurance (UI), and about one-fourth of the recipients exhausted UI benefits by January 2010. This represents 2 million displaced workers who exhausted UI as of early 2010, the most recent survey data available. Labor estimated that about an additional 3-1/2 million individuals exhausted benefits in 2010 and 2011.
Many of the displaced workers who exhausted UI by January 2010 appear to have faced difficult economic circumstances. Their unemployment rate was high46 percent in January 2010. Most, however, appeared to have worked at some point in 2009 or to have been supported by another household member who was working, and some had income from assets, such as interest or dividends. Nevertheless, the poverty rate of displaced workers who exhausted UI was higher than the rate among working-age adults18 percent compared to 13 percent, and more than 40 percent had relatively low incomes, below 200 percent of the federal poverty threshold. Few (less than 3 percent) of the households of those who exhausted UI received TANF benefits in 2009. Most would not have qualified for TANF because they did not have children age 18 or younger, a general TANF eligibility criteria. More of these households received benefits from Social Security programs (18 percent) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (15 percent for the program formerly known as the Food Stamp Program).
While there are no federal requirements to refer those exhausting UI benefits to other support programs, most (45) of the state UI agencies GAO surveyed reported providing such individuals with information or connecting them to support programs. UI agencies made these connections in a variety of ways, such as through websites, mail, staff referrals, and interagency coordination. For example, Washington state has a multiagency workgroup which developed a resource guide that was mailed to those exhausting UI benefits and posted online and established a phone number to handle questions from these individuals.