(RALEIGH) -- North Carolina Employment Security Commission officials are waiting for further instructions from the federal government following the President's signing of another jobless benefits extension. State ESC officials said that most people receiving unemployment benefits in North Carolina will gain additional payments.

"In a high unemployment state, states with unemployment over 8.5% like North Carolina our rate is currently at 10.8%, the unemployed here will get an additional six weeks for a total of 20 weeks," said Andy James with the State Employment Security Commission.

The State ESC believes there are about 230,000 unemployed people who might be eligible for the additional benefits. "We are going to be able to identify potential people who may be eligible for these benefits and we will try to mail letters to them," added James. "Some may have moved and maybe we don't have a forwarding address, but for everybody we think we can reach we are going to mail a letter to alert them that they need to contact us to see if they are eligible for these benefits."