OTTAWA - The Harper government says it will introduce a bill Wednesday that would extend employment insurance benefits for some long-tenured workers who have lost their jobs.

It's a move that could help avert a fall election -- if the NDP supports the measure.

The proposed legislation would provide an extra five to 20 weeks of EI benefits to workers who have been paying into the system for years without collecting many benefits.

But it's only a temporary measure, and stops short of adopting other key measures that had been suggested by opposition parties and by a Tory-led task force last year.

Still, the move may be enough to stave off an election. The NDP has said it will seriously consider supporting the bill, provided it reads as advertised.

"If this is what it appears to be and it is what it is, that's a good start," said New Democrat MP Paul Dewar.

"If they are going to put forward something that is going to help Canadian people who are hard hit, we would be irresponsible not to seriously consider and support that."

The bill is aimed at workers who have been paying into the system for seven of the last 10 years, and have not collected benefits for more than 35 weeks in the past five years.

"The proposed initiative should go a long way toward bridging long-tenured workers to give them time to find alternative employment particularly as the labour market improves," said Human Resources Minister Diane Finley.

She said the measure would cost up to $935 million over three years.

She added that she floated such an idea this summer during negotiations with the opposition Liberals, but that they had walked out of the meetings. The Liberals have said they did not see any serious proposals from the Tories dealing with long-tenured workers.

Targeting such workers could help the government send aid to some of those hardest hit by the recession. The downturn has decimated the auto industry, the forestry sector and manufacturing in general -- sectors known for having a steady and aging work force.

Last year, a task force on older workers recommended that Ottawa quickly repair its benefits for long-tenured workers.

The group, led by a former Tory senator, recommended an extension of benefits. It also said the government should change the way it treats severance packages, offer a top-up in wages to laid-off workers forced to take lower-paid employment, and help workers deal with moving expenses so they can travel to find new work.