Missouri's extended jobless benefits program ends

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri labor officials say an estimated 9,000 unemployed workers will no longer receive extended benefits because the state's jobless rate has declined.

The state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations says the cutoff took effect Saturday.

The extended benefits program provides payments to unemployed workers whose state and federal benefits have been exhausted.

Missouri's unemployment rate stood at 7.4 percent in February. That was the lowest rate in 38 months and down from a peak of 9.7 percent in August 2009.