NASHVILLE - Thousands of jobless Tennesseans are expected to see their extended unemployment benefits restored soon after Gov. Bill Haslam on Tuesday signed into law a bill reviving the federal program.

The federal program provides an additional 20 weeks of benefits after 26 weeks of state benefits and 53 weeks of other federal aid runs out. State Labor and Workforce Development officials have previously said they are working to restore the program as soon as possible.

An estimated 28,000 longtime unemployed Tennesseans will be affected.

Benefits will be retroactive to April 16 when the Haslam administration allowed the program to expire after officials failed to adjust state law to new federal requirements. State officials have tried to pin the blame on the U.S. Labor Department, saying they were told Tennessee wouldn't need to adjust its law.

The Extended Benefits program will run through the end of the year.