The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations reports that due to a steadily declining unemployment rate, Missouri no longer meets the criteria to operate the state Extended Benefit unemployment program, which affects 9,000 of the 112,000 Missourians currently receiving unemployment.

“Missouri’s unemployment rate of 7.4 percent is the lowest it has been in 38 months and is down from a peak of 9.7 percent in August 2009,” the release says. “Based on data released by the United States Department of Labor, Missouri no longer meets one of the criteria to remain in the EB program. Specifically, its current three-month average total unemployment rate is less than 110 percent of any comparable unemployment rate during the past three years.”

Extended Benefits is the last level of unemployment benefits for those who have exhausted regular state benefits and all tiers of Emergency Unemployment Compensation program. Under federal law, EB claimants will not be able to receive further payments under the EB program after April 7, 2012, regardless of their claim balance. Those affected by this law are encouraged to continue utilizing the Missouri Career Centers for job assistance, the report continues.

For more, visit www.moclaim.mo.gov.