November 13, 2009
New research from the Maine Department of Labor Center for Workforce Research and Information quantifies the recent economic impact of the Unemployment Insurance program. During a 12-month period running from March 2008 to March 2009, Unemployment Insurance provided $235 million in direct aid to laid-off workers impacted by the recession and helped the greater economy by supporting 3,200 jobs, $88 million in wages and contributing $178 million to Maine’s gross state product. The brief noted that unemployment benefits went primarily to paying for food, housing, transportation, and healthcare and the spending circulated across a multitude of different industries supporting jobs in a variety of occupations.