Any Missourian who uses more than the allotted 26 weeks of unemployment benefits can register for the Federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation.  This provides the unemployed with more time to find a job.

Department of Labor and Industrial Relations spokesperson Amy Susan said the department works closely with the Economic Development Department to help the needy find jobs. The departments also refer the unemployed to labor-help organizations like the Missouri Career Center in Columbia.

Manager Deanne Stubblefield said she's noticed an influx in people seeking help from the Career Center.

"We're going to continue to see a steady amount of traffic, of customer flow, coming into the center," Stubblefield said. "I don't look for those numbers to decrease."

It's harder to find jobs, she said.

"It's an employers' market right now. The employers can be very choosy with the individuals they do want for a particular position," Stubblefield said. "It's a tough market. We have some very skilled individuals coming in that are just not able to get their foot in the door."

One mid-Missourian often goes to the center to use resources.

Bebe Perez said the unemployment benefits extension doesn't affect him, but organizations like the Career Center helps with job searching.

"Most people do find jobs through these places," Perez said.

Other temporary labor organizations provide the unemployed an opportunity to work until they find a steady job.

Perez said the unemployment benefits extension is both a good and bad thing.

"If they extend it, eventually there's going to be a deadline," he said. "Once the deadline hits, it's probably going to get bad."

Missouri's unemployment rate was 9.5 percent in September, the latest month available. Federal unemployment statistics show 285,787 Missourians are jobless.

For more information about how you can utilize the unemployement extension, click on the links above.