Fewer weeks of unemployment benefits will soon be available to jobless New Mexicans and the Department of Workforce Solutions says it's because of a change in federal law.
A maximum of 54 weeks of unemployment compensation will be offered with claims effective Sept. 2. That's down from 60 weeks currently.
The department says New Mexicans eligible for 60 weeks of benefits before Sept. 2 can continue to receive payments for up to that amount of time during a phase-out period.
The state pays for regular unemployment benefits for 26 weeks, and it's up to the federal government to go beyond that. A federal law enacted earlier this year changed provisions that trigger extended benefits in a state.
New Mexico's unemployment payments range from $74 to $397 a week.