Evaluating EUC Tiers - Advocating For Extensions

All workers get regular state unemployment insurance benefits for up to 26 weeks. (Note: In states paying less than 26 weeks of UI benefits, unemployed workers get a proportionately smaller share of benefits under federal extension programs.) Generally, workers then draw Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) followed by Extended Benefits (EB), where available. There are currently up to four “tiers” of Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) extensions available depending upon state unemployment levels. Extended Benefits are not available in all states.

EUC Tiers I and II
Unemployed workers in all states qualify for benefits under EUC Tier I and Tier II. Tier I provides 20 weeks of benefits and Tier II provides 14 weeks for a total of 34 weeks. For 3 states with (3‐month average) unemployment rates under 6.0 percent (NE, ND, and SD), this 34 weeks represents the total available extension weeks.

EUC Tier III
In states with high unemployment (defined as 6.0 percent average 3‐month total unemployment or higher), unemployed workers can become eligible for an additional 13 weeks of benefits known as EUC Tier III. Currently, there are 47 states (all except NE, ND, and SD), as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, in which unemployed workers can qualify for EUC Tier III.

EUC Tier IV
In states with 3‐month average total unemployment rates at or above 8.5 percent, unemployed workers can qualify for 6 additional weeks of extension benefits under EUC Tier IV. The 28 states, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, currently paying Tier IV benefits are AL,AK, AZ, CA, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KY, MA, MI, MS, MO, NV, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, WA, and WV.
Extended Benefits (EB)

Finally, a separate program, called the Extended Benefits (EB) program is currently triggered on in 39 states. There are either 13 or 20 additional weeks of benefits, under the EB program depending upon which EB triggers are part of each state’s UI law and each state’s unemployment level. As of January 31, 2010, 28 states and the District of Columbia are paying 20 weeks of EB (AL,AK AZ,CA,CT, DE, GA, ID,IL,IN,KY,ME,MA, MI,NV,NJ,NY,NC,OH,OR,PA,RI,SC,TN,TX, WA, WV, and WI). Seven states and Puerto Rico are providing 13 weeks of EB (CO, KS, MN, NH, NM, VT, and VA).

Current Legislative Efforts to Reauthorize UI Extensions
Current federal extensions (including both the Emergency Unemployment Compensation and Extended Benefits programs), the additional $25 per week in each benefits check (known as Federal Additional Compensation (FAC)), and 65% COBRA subsidies for jobless workers are set to expire at the end of February 2010. The House has passed an extension of these provisions until June of this year in its Jobs Bill – everyone is now waiting for the Senate to act.

With the National Employment Law Project (NELP) and millions of unemployed Americans we are urging Congress to extend the EUC program, full federal funding of Extended Benefits, the $25 per week in Federal Additional Compensation, and the 65% 15-month COBRA subsidy through the end of 2010. Economists agree that unemployment will remain at extremely high levels through the end of this calendar year; therefore it is important to extend this program through 2010. While there appears to be majority support for reauthorization, there are also strong indications that Congress will likely extend these programs for a number of months, not for the rest of the year..

These benefits are set to expire on February 28, 2010, but in fact, if Congress does not extend these important benefits before Friday, February 19, 2010, states will have to start sending out notices to claimants that their benefits are expiring, and they will have to start reprogramming their computer systems to shut down with EUC, EB and FAC benefits. Were Congress to act after the 19th of February, there would be substantial delays in getting state programs back up and running and the disruption of benefits would be devastating to families and communities.

US Senate Will Pass Unemployment Extension With Cloture... Again.

Early Friday morning (around 1:30am) the Senate passed a cloture vote 63-33 to limit debate on the Defense Department spending bill, which has attached to it unemployment benefits extensions in the form of unemployment insurance and health insurance benefits. The Senate is scheduled to vote on the bill Saturday morning at 7:30am. This should ensure that the unemployment benefits extension deadline glitch is fixed, coupled with a short two-month extension for vital programs before Congress leaves for the year (assuming President Obama signs the bill into law in short order, for which there is no reason to suspect he will not).

This legislation is as good as passed and for those who find themselves unemployed, this news is welcomed and appreciated.  More information will be posted after the final passage. 

Information For Michigan Residents On The Latest Unemployment Extension

In the link below, Michigan workers will find information about two new Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) extensions passed by Congress and signed by President Obama on Nov. 6, 2009.

Here is the official document from the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency:
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/uia/NEW_EUC-Internet__StaffREV11-9_300228_7.pdf

Tennessee Department of Labor Explains Preliminary Details

The following information is a post written by Mr. John Partlow, Tennessee Department of Labor. Hopefully, this information gives Tennesseans an idea of what to expect in the coming weeks regarding the latest unemployment extension signed into law on November 6th, 2009 by President Barack Obama.

Here is the information he has provided:

"Like we posted on our website, the letters are scheduled to go out December 7th and 8th. The letters will go out only to those who have exhausted all of their entitlement and aren’t drawing anymore. The letters will instruct you to go to our website on December 11 to file the application. Those that are currently receiving unemployment should transition from EB into EUC Tier 3 or from EUC Tier 2 into EUC Tier 3, depending upon what they are currently receiving.

Hopefully, the checks will start to be mailed the following week after Friday, December 11. Once I know more about the specific day, I will let you know. There is a massive check run on Sunday night and Monday night for TUC payments and then a massive check run on Tuesday night for EUC Tier 1 and 2 payments, then a check run on Wednesday night for EB, so most likely, the EUC Tier 3 and 4 checks will be a Thursday night check run.

So, more than likely, the first checks for EUC Tier 3 will be issued on December 17.

This means that if you applied on December 11, you should be issued lump sum payment that covers the weeks of:

11-14
11-21
11-28
12-5
and possibly 12-12

Then you would start certifying weekly. I believe that the day we are going to assign for EUC Tier 3 and 4 to certify will be Thursday. Its my understanding that you will be able to certify through TIPS or online. The days for certifications will be:

Sundays – Regular TUC if your SSN ends in an even number
Mondays – Regular TUC if your SSN ends in an odd number
Tuesdays – EUC Tiers 1 & 2
Wedensdays – EB
Thursdays – EUC Tiers 3 & 4 and makeup day for everyone

If you haven’t worked since you last certified for a week of benefits, your claim should quickly be approved. If you have worked somewhere, we will have to verify the separation with your most recent employer before you are approved. Also, if you aren’t able and available for work or have some other individual circumstance that prevents you from working, that must be adjudicated as well before you can receive these benefits.

The work search requirement is not the same as EB. The tangible work searches are only for those receiving EB. EUC Tiers 3 & 4 go back to the state policy of work searches where you must register for work through the career centers (which everyone, I am sure, is already registered) and seek work using your customary means.

I hope this helps everyone understand what to expect in the next week or so."

USDOL Operating Instructions for November Extension

Here is the guidance that the USDOL has sent to the states regarding how EUC Tiers 3(III) and 4(IV) work. The first link was their initial guidance published on November 13th. The second link had some changes in their November 13th guidance with some additional instructions.

http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/uipl/uipl23-08c5.pdf
http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/uipl/uipl23-08c6.pdf


The above links are the definitive word from the USDOL on how the extensions must be handled and who is eligible.  Although this information was provided to the State of Tennessee the information is applicable for all states.