The approximately 39,000 Tennessee unemployment claimants who are receiving federally extended unemployment insurance will cease receiving those benefits in the first week of January 2013.

Those claimants are being informed by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, a news release said.

Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08) is a federally-funded program, which provides unemployment benefits to individuals who have exhausted the first 26 weeks of state benefits (maximum).

The federal program was originally scheduled to expire at the end of 2011, but the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 extended the expiration date of EUC08 to Jan. 2, 2013.

"There is no indication that there will be another extension of these benefits," said Tennessee Commissioner of Labor Karla Davis.

"It's important for claimants receiving federal benefits to understand this safety net will no longer be available."

The last payable week for all claimants receiving EUC08 federal benefits will be the week ending Dec. 29, 2012, meaning claimants will certify for that week and receive their last payment the first week of January.

All claimants in the EUC08 program -- no matter how many weeks they were initially notified they would receive, what tier of EUC they are in, or the amount of balance in that tier -- will receive their last EUC08 payment during the first week of January, the news release stated.

After Jan. 2, 2013, Tennessee will return to the system in which an approved new claim could have a maximum of up to 26 weeks of Tennessee Unemployment Compensation benefits.

Additional updates on the situation will be provided on the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development website at http://www.tn.gov/labor-wfd/2012_Unemployment_Update.shtml