New York State Labor Commissioner Urges Congress to Extend Unemployment Benefits

According to the state Labor Department, unemployment benefits could run out for about 190,000 New Yorkers by the end of the year, and for thousands more by May of 2011.

Speaking during a conference call on Friday, Labor Commissioner Colleen Gardner said it's time for Congress to take action to extend unemployment benefits. "We still have a job market where there's only one job opening for every five people looking for work," she said, adding that every dollar invested into jobless benefits translates into roughly $2 spent in the local economy.

"We feel that investing in our unemployed while they look for work means investing in every local economy across New York State and the nation," she said. Gardner is urging Congress to take action to extend unemployment benefits. With split control of Congress, the likelihood of that happening in the new year remains uncertain.