More unemployment news: Gregoire signs agreement for $25 extra

Governor Chris Gregoire just signed an agreement allowing the state Employment Security Department to comply with the federal stimulus package. What’s that mean: Come May 3, expect $25 more per weekly unemployment check. That’s on top of the $45 per week the state is providing.

The order goes into effect on Sunday. But, because the software at ESD will take a long time to sort through things, no one will receive a bump in their checks until May.

The good news: In May, you’ll get a check with the lump sum of the benefits you missed. Between February 22 and May 3, there are 10 weeks. That means sometime in early May — if you qualify — you’ll get a check for $250.

After that, the extra $25 will be incorporated into your regular check.

So, the minimum benefit will go from $129 per week (now) to $155 (new base rate) + $45 (from state) + $25 (from federal government) = $225.

The maximum weekly benefit will be $611 per week, up from $541.

The state also found out this week that the federal government will pay for the 13-week emergency extension of benefits. While that may not matter to those receiving unemployment, it could be good news for employers wishing for a lower unemployment tax rate.

Yesterday at her media availability, Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown said a business tax cut for unemployment rates is in the works. She said that giving businesses a break would keep the Unemployment Insurance Trust fund healthy. That depends on what happens to the economy: Official projections called for a drop from more than 20 months of benefit reserves (the current level) to as low as about 8 months. The state aims to keep 15 months in reserve. The federal government recommends 12, but an automatic tax kicks in if it drops below 7 months of reserves.

“Normally, the costs are split equally between the federal government and the state. As a result of the change, the state’s unemployment-insurance trust fund will save an estimated $100 million this year,” according to the release.

Also: “Approximately 140,000 Washingtonians currently are receiving regular unemployment benefits, about 94 percent more than a year ago.”

Read our complete unemployment coverage here.