By Dave Boucher
Charleston Daily Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Nearly 7,000 West Virginians receiving federal unemployment benefits are set to lose that aide when funding expires at the end of the week.
They’re part of the nearly 1.3 million Americans unemployed for 26 weeks or more who receive funds from an account that’s nearly dry.
The recent bipartisan federal budget deal did not address an extension of federal unemployment benefits. Funding for the program is set to run out Dec. 28.
WorkForce West Virginia reported 6,933 people received Federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation in November.
That cost $3.3 million, but David Watson, assistant director of benefits for WorkForce west Virginia, said that number fluctuates from month to month.
Most of those people-1,322-live in Charleston, with Huntington and Beckley each reporting more than 500 local recipients.
Almost 25,000 West Virginians are projected to feel the affects of lost benefits by the end of 2014 if there is no extension, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Labor…
