Unemployment Insurance Links to Additional Resources
Links to Additional Resources
Federal Laws
Below are selected major federal statutes for the Unemployment Compensation program, the Extended Benefits program, and the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program.
Please note that the official version of the US Code was last published in 2006 with supplements. Some of the links below are to the unofficial version of the US Code updated and maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel (OLRC). For recent updates to the US Code, please consult the US Code classification tables on the OLRC’s website, a commercial source such as LexisNexis or Westlaw, or contact CRS.
Statutes and the US Code
1. General Unemployment Compensation and Federal Law
2. Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08) Federal Law
3. EUC08 Amendments and Reauthorizations
4. Extended Benefits Federal Law
5. Disaster Unemployment Assistance Federal Law
6. Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees Federal Law
1. General Unemployment Compensation and Federal Law
General provisions of unemployment compensation are included in the following titles of the Social Security Act as amended (below). They are codified in Title 42 of the U.S. Code.
- Grants to States for Unemployment Compensation Administration, Title III
- Miscellaneous Provisions Relating to Employment Security, Title IX
- Advances to State Unemployment Funds, Title XII
- Compilation of the Social Security Laws, Staff of H. Comm. on Ways and Means.
The Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA), along with state unemployment taxes, provides for payments of unemployment compensation.
- The Federal Unemployment Tax Act, Pub. L. 94-12, 89 Stat. 26 (codified as amended in scattered sections of 26 U.S.C.).
2. Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08) Federal Law
The Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08) legislation was originally included in the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008, Pub. L. 110-252, Title IV, 122 Stat. 2353 (p. 31 of the PDF). This legislation was subsequently amended and the authorization extended several times.
3. EUC08 Amendments and Reauthorizations
- Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008, Pub. L. 110-252, Title IV, 122 Stat. 2353 (p. 31 of the PDF)
- Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008, Pub. L. 110-449, 122 Stat. 5014.
- American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Pub. L. 111-5, Title II, Subtitle A, 123 Stat. 436 (p. 322 of the PDF).
- Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009, Pub. L. 111-92, §§ 2-10, 123 Stat. 2984.
- Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010, Pub .L. 111-118, § 1009, 123 Stat. 3471.
- Temporary Extension Act of 2010, Pub. L. 111-144, 124 Stat. 42.
- Continuing Extension Act of 2010, Pub. L. 111-157, 124 Stat. 1116.
- Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2010, Pub. L. 111-205, 124 Stat. 2236.
- Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, Pub. L. 111-312, Title V, 124 Stat. 3307 (p. 13 of the PDF).
For additional information on the EUC08 program, please see RS22915, Temporary Extension of Unemployment Benefits: Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08)
4. Extended Benefits Federal Law
- Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 (EUCA), Pub. L. 91-373, 26 U.S.C. 3304, note.
5. Disaster Unemployment Assistance Federal Law
- Disaster Unemployment Assistance authorized by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Relief Act, Pub. L. 91-606, 42 U.S.C. § 5177.
6. Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees Federal Law
- Unemployment compensation for federal employees, is codified as amended in Title 5, Government Employees, Chapter 85, Unemployment Compensation.
State Resources
The following sources highlight state and regional unemployment insurance (UI) benefits and programs.
Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
- Comparison of State Unemployment Compensation Laws
- Regions & States (State and local contacts, state and local resources)
National Association of State Workforce Agencies This organization includes state administrators of unemployment insurance laws and employment services centers.
National Conference of State Legislatures, Labor & Employment This site compiles data on state unemployment and labor related issues, including pending legislation and monthly reports on state unemployment trends and spending.
Statistics and Data
The following sources represent selected federal agency statistics and databases on unemployment insurance program statistics (such as weekly claimants), unemployment trends, and demographic data.
Department of Labor
Employment and Training Administration, Unemployment Insurance, Program Statistics
- UI Weekly Claims, Data available for the regular UC program, Extended Benefits program, and the EUC08 program
- UI Characteristics of the Insured Unemployed, Demographic data including age, gender, race/ethnicity, and industry
- UI Chartbook, Unemployment trend data for the U.S. and each state beginning with data from 1967
Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Employment Situation Summary, BLS monthly report summarizing national statistics including the total nonfarm payroll employment, the unemployment rate, demographic data, part-time employment, and selected industry data
- Unemployment Rate for States, BLS monthly report from Local Area Unemployment statistics survey
- Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Summary, BLS monthly report on state and regional unemployment statistics