Vermont Public Radio reports that "as more people lose their jobs in Vermont, the fund that pays for unemployment benefits is getting stretched thin." According to recent predictions by Vermont's state economist, "Vermont's unemployment rate will rise to almost 8 percent by mid-2010," and "that means more people will collect unemployment benefits." Currently, the Vermont fund "is paying out about $35 million more a year than it takes in. If the fund runs out of money, states can borrow from the federal government." Chris Barbieri of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce said he "will be following the issue in the Legislature." Barbieri condcluded, "It's going to be a juggling act to be sure that we are paying benefits that are needed to be paid to the unemployed and at the same we're keeping in mind the burdens currently on the employer community, which include also the minimum wage increase which occurred yesterday."

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