Many jobless workers say they cannot afford the full premiums, which average more than $7,000 a year for families.

France, with an unemployment rate of 11.5 percent, has about three million jobless workers.

In states with 8 percent unemployment, an additional 20 weeks of benefits could be paid to jobless workers.

There have been jobless workers selling the family car because their unemployment compensation has run out.

The labor market is particularly unforgiving with older jobless workers.

More certainly, he said, jobless workers were likely to turn to crime to feed their families.

Last Dec. 1, jobless workers formed only 1.67 percent of the labor force.

Only about a third of jobless workers qualify today, compared with half in the 1950's.

In all other states, long-term jobless workers would qualify for 6 weeks.

It provides up to 26 extra weeks of support for jobless workers who exhaust their current benefits and still can't find work.