If I remember right only the first 26 weeks are covered by your employers unemployment tax everything over that is pure tax money given as a gift. I believe they are well over 100 weeks now. unheard of number of weeks until recently they might extend to 39 weeks or possibly 56 but never More then 56 now its double that. basically they have done this because their are less forms to process for unemployment then welfare and they can get you of unemployment by stopping the extensions. this way they can take care of people without creating more lifetime wellfare families