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ONTONAGON -- Nearly 47,000 people in the state of Michigan are currently receiving benefits from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Trade Adjustment Assistance program, and they don't have to worry about that changing any time soon.

That's good news for the nearly 200 former employees of the Smurfit Stone Paper Mill in Ontonagon–most of those employees petitioned for the benefits.

In 2009 the T.A.A. program was expanded to provide further education opportunities or additional unemployment pay and health care for workers who were losing jobs or business to outsourcing.

Though the extended benefits are set to expire this weekend, it will only affect future petitioners.  Nothing will be taken away from workers already covered.