W.Va. Unemployment Benefits Top $181m for FY09

West Virginia paid more than $181 million to jobless West Virginians as they sought new work during the budget year that ended June 30, the Charleston Daily Mail reports.

The amount marked a 114 percent increase over the prior fiscal year, which saw $84.5 million expended from the state's unemployment compensation trust fund, the article said.

State unemployment Director Michael Moore told the newspaper he expected the persisting recession will demand $345 million from the fund this budget year.

"While current figures for the fund were not immediately available, Moore estimated the fund was probably at about $195 million at the end of June," the article said. "About 69,014 initial unemployment claims have been filed in West Virginia this year so far through July 10, Moore said, a 77 percent increase from last year's 38,975 claims."