AUSTIN — The Texas Workforce Commission announced last week a 13-week temporary federally funded extension of unemployment insurance benefits. President George W. Bush signed legislation authorizing Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation on June 30.

The legislation provides up to 13 additional weeks of jobless benefits for eligible Texans who have used up their regular unemployment insurance benefits and are still unemployed. The extended benefits are entirely federally funded, and employers will not be charged for any claims paid on this extension.

To be eligible for the extension, individuals must have filed a claim for regular jobless benefits on or after May 7, 2006, and exhausted all of their benefits. They also must be currently unemployed and meet the qualifications to receive unemployment insurance benefits. Eligible claimants will receive the same weekly benefit amount as on their regular claim.

All claimants who are eligible when the bill is signed are expected to begin receiving benefits starting this week, and could receive a maximum of 13 weeks of extended benefits.

As many as 200,000 Texans may be eligible for the extended benefits. TWC will mail letters to all potentially eligible claimants in July to explain the application process. Claimants should not contact TWC until they receive a letter, unless their address has changed. Claimants may update their address information on the Internet through paymentrequest.texasworkforce.org or by contacting a UI Tele-Center.

TWC is a state agency dedicated to helping Texas employers, workers and communities prosper economically. For details, call (512) 463-8556 or visit www.texasworkforce.org.