Up to 60,000 in Washington set to lose jobless benefits

The federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program is set to expire Dec. 29, which means as many as 60,000 Washington job seekers will lose their jobless benefits, the state Employment Security Department announced Monday.

The EUC program has paid more than $5.6 billion in federally funded jobless benefits to more than 400,000 jobless workers in the state since July 2008.

Congress has extended the EUC program 10 times in the past four years, but whether to extend it again is just one aspect of the current "fiscal cliff" debate taking place in Washington, D.C. If Congress and the President approve another extension, Employment Security will automatically notify anyone who claimed EUC during one or more weeks this month.

Meanwhile, Employment Security also will send emails, robocalls and direct mail this month, reminding those receiving benefits that the program is ending.