Congress to reduce AZ unemployment benefits - | News for Yuma, Imperial Valley, El Centro, AZ & CA

As unemployment rates remain high all across the nation thousands of out-of-work Arizona residents are facing the loss of benefits.

In the upcoming months, U.S. Congress is aiming to cut long-term help to the unemployed.

As early as this week the Arizona Department of Economic Security will begin notifying people that their week's worth of benefits will be cut.

DES will cut the weekly benefits from 99 weeks, down to 79 weeks starting June 22, 2012.

If Arizona's jobless rate continues to drop unemployment benefits will be reduced to 54 weeks.