Actually they were given severance until January.
That being said we are not talking about a few extra bucks. We are talking about people having the opportunity to make a good living in contrast to not making a good living. If you want a good example, look at all the struggling economies in Europe. What stands out the most is youth unemployment.
If you think this election wasn't about the economy, well guess what Sherlock, the next one will be about austerity.