The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) recently announced that as a result of the state’s improving unemployment rate, Texas is no longer eligible for federally funded Extended Benefits (EB), which paid out-of-work Texans up to an additional 13 weeks of unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March was 7.0 percent.

“March marked the seventh consecutive month of unemployment rate decreases in our state, which has remained below the national unemployment rate for 63 months,” said TWC Chairman Tom Pauken. “These are encouraging signs for job seekers and business owners seeking to set up shop in Texas.”

Texas was notified by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) that the state’s 3-month average total unemployment rate fell below the mandated level to qualify for EB. May 12, 2012 marked the last payable week of EB. The maximum weeks of UI benefits now available to qualifying individuals in Texas is 73 weeks, down from 86 weeks. The change affected approximately 32,000 claimants. TWC can still pay federally funded Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) at Tier I-III levels through December 29, 2012.

Governor Rick Perry touted the state’s job growth in a recent speech introducing the Texas Budget Compact. “We’re the only state that has regained all the jobs lost in the recent recession, and we’re building on that success, with the private sector adding more than 331,000 jobs from February 2011 to February 2012,” the Governor said.

“That’s more private sector jobs added than any other state. Our unemployment rate is well below the national average, even as we continue to attract job seekers from all across the United States. Those job seekers are coming to Texas because they know we’ve made a special place here. We’ve made a place where employers know they’re safe to invest in their business and watch it grow.”