U.S. Congress - S.2544 Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008
S.2544 - Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008
A bill to provide for a program of temporary extended unemployment compensation. view all titles (2)
All Bill Titles
- Short: Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008 as introduced.
- Official: A bill to provide for a program of temporary extended unemployment compensation. as introduced.
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Correct Florida:
As in NJ, If our income change our food stamp benefits are usually reduced or terminated……
When the unemployment extension for 2009 going to be released for those who benefits are expired.
IT WAS……….The end of November…..another bill was passed for 20 MORE weeks of Federal unemployment….and if you are in a high unemployment State (Over 7.1 I believe…) you will get another 13 weeks on top of that for a total of 33 weeks.
Illinois here
I LIVE IN VIRGINIA, AND I’VE RECEIVED THE APPLICATION AND MAILED IT BACK, AND THEN I’VE FILED WEEKLY CLAIMS EVER SINCE AND I HAVEN’T RECEIVED ANY MONEY AT ALL!! Is there a hold on the benefit money?? The telephone system is down — if you do get through — you can talk to 5 different people and they will tell you 5 different things… which none of them make sense at all! What else can I do?? Please help!!
Legislation provided New York State with an initial 13 weeks of emergency benefits, plus an additional 7 week extension, for a total of 20 weeks of emergency benefits. At this time, there are no additional extensions past the 20 weeks but I like to know if is one possible coming in the new stimulus package.
01/23/2009
Extensions of Emergency Unemployment Compensation
Current Legislation has provided for a total of 20 weeks of emergency benefits. Due to the high unemployment rate in New York State, we expect an additional 13 weeks will be available February 22, 2009. Check our website weekly for more up to date information.
Since the additional 13-week extension of UI benefits is expected to pay out $270 million statewide, it will amount to an economic impact of approximately $443 million. In the Capital Region alone, the additional 13-week extension will pay out nearly $15 million, resulting in a local economic impact of more than $24 million.
The deadline for filing a new claim for extended unemployment insurance benefits is March 29, 2009. Individuals that exhaust their regular unemployment insurance benefits after that date are not eligible for extended benefits.
It is possible that Congress may extend unemployment insurance benefits again. Workers are encouraged to check the Department of Labor’s web site at www.labor.ny.gov for current information regarding extended unemployment insurance benefits, eligibility rules and instructions on how to apply
: January 29, 2009
MONTGOMERY – Alabama Department of Industrial Relations Director Tom Surtees announced today that unemployed Alabamians are now eligible for an additional 13 weeks of Unemployment Compensation benefits.
Because of the unemployment rate increases over the past three months, federal legislation passed in November 2008 allows for unemployed Alabamians to receive the additional benefits. In November, Alabama qualified for an extension of 20 weeks. The two extensions combined result in an additional 33 weeks of benefits added to the existing 26 weeks of regular benefits.
In order to qualify for this second extension, a state’s three month average unemployment rate must equal or exceed six percent. Alabama’s current three month average is 6.1%.
“Hopefully, this extension will help to alleviate some of the financial burden for those who remain unemployed,” said Surtees. “During such faltering economic times, many workers may feel there is nowhere to turn. Alabama’s Career Centers stand ready to help those workers meet these challenges.”
Approximately 12,000 Alabamians may currently be eligible for the additional benefits. The extension becomes effective February 15, 2009. Claimants who qualify for the additional benefits will need to begin certifying for them on February 22, 2009.
Workers who may qualify will be notified by mail with filing instructions. Current and future claimants who exhaust their regular benefits will automatically be continued on the extended benefits as long as they qualify.
Important Notice About
Emergency Unemployment Compensation
Due to the high unemployment rate in New York State, we expect an additional 13 weeks of federally funded emergency benefits will be available February 22, 2009, for a total of 33 weeks of emergency benefits.
Under current legislation, new claims for Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) can be initiated through the week ending March 29, 2009 and no EUC can be paid for any week that begins after August 30, 2009. However, we also expect the program ending dates to be extended through new legislation. Check our website weekly for updates on additional extensions of emergency benefits and program ending dates.
Individuals who are currently employed should not quit a job to file for EUC benefits. Quitting to collect these benefits will result in disqualification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to receive Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC)?
In order to be eligible for Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC), claimants must:
Have exhausted their regular unemployment insurance benefits.
Meet basic state eligibility requirements such as being ready, willing and able to work.
Have no rights to regular or extended compensation under any other state or Federal law.
What can I do if I received my 26 weeks of regular benefits and I am still unemployed?
If you have been paid 26 weeks of regular benefits, you may start claiming EUC for the week immediately following your last week of regular benefits by logging in on the Benefits Online Page and clicking on “Claim Weekly Benefits,” or calling our toll-free Tel-Service number. Please note:
EUC cannot be paid for any week in which partial regular UI has already been paid. In that case, EUC would begin the following week.
Under current legislation, individuals must start claiming emergency benefits no later than for week ending March 29, 2009.
What can I do if I received 20 weeks of emergency benefits and I am still unemployed?
Due to the high unemployment rate in New York State, we expect an additional 13 weeks of emergency benefits will be available February 22, 2009, for a total of 33 weeks of emergency benefits. Check our website weekly for updates and instructions on when to start claiming these weekly benefits.
What is my weekly benefit rate for emergency benefits?
The weekly benefit amount paid for emergency benefits is the same amount you received for regular benefits.
How are emergency benefits paid?
The Department of Labor now pays benefits either by Direct Deposit (into your personal checking account) or on a Direct Payment Card (debit card) account. Emergency benefits will be paid with the same method used on your previous claim.
Why are there breaks in my payments of emergency benefits?
There may be breaks in your payments of emergency benefits, since none of the approved extensions are retroactive.
The first approved extension, for 13 weeks of emergency benefits, was effective on week ending July 13, 2008.
The second approved extension, for 7 weeks of emergency benefits, was effective on week ending November 30, 2008. These benefits were not retroactive for individuals who exhausted the first 13 weeks of emergency benefits prior to November 23, 2008.
thanks
Alabama extends unemployment benefitsJan 30 2009 10:49AM EST
Alabama’s unemployed workers will now be eligible for an additional 13 weeks of compensation benefits, according to the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations.
The surge in the unemployment rate here – due to massive layoffs at companies grappling with the ailing economy – allows the state to extend its unemployment payments to its affected work force, the department said.
To qualify, a state’s three-month average unemployment rate must be at least 6 percent. Alabama’s average is currently 6.1.
The state’s overall unemployment rate jumped to 6.7 percent, a dramatic increase from November’s revised 6 percent. The state’s jobless rate is still lower than the national rate of 7.2 percent, but has steadily increased in recent months from 5.6 percent in October and 3.6 percent a year ago.
So far, Alabama has qualified for two extensions. In all, 33 weeks of benefits have been added to the existing 26 weeks of benefits unemployed workers normally receive.
“Hopefully, this extension will help to alleviate some of the financial burden for those who remain unemployed,” said Alabama Department of Industrial Relations Director Tom Surtees. “During such faltering economic times, many workers may feel there is nowhere to turn. Alabama’s Career Centers stand ready to help those workers meet these challenges.”
As of late, about 12,000 Alabamians are likely eligible for the additional benefits. The extension will go into effect on Feb. 15.
For more information visit the agency’s Web site at www.dir.alabama.gov
Unemployment Extension Legislation Update
January 8, 2009:There has been quite a bit of confusion about what extended unemployment benefits workers qualify for. UnemployedWorkers.org has a good explanation of how the extended benefits work and how to figure out how many weeks you are entitled to:
All States: Workers who exhausted the 13 weeks of unemployment benefits before the passage of the November legislation are eligible for an existing 7 weeks of extended benefits. Total of 20 weeks of benefits.
High Unemployment States: Workers who live in a state with an unemployment rate of 6% or more are entitled to an additional 13 weeks of benefits. Total of 33 weeks of benefits.
Understanding the Two Tiers of Extended Benefits (January 2, 2009)
There have been many questions about the number of weeks provided by Congress through Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008 passed on November 21, 2008. This Q and A attempts to answer key questions about the two tiers of benefits.
How many weeks of benefits am I entitled to?
Workers in low unemployment states are eligible for a total of 20 weeks of benefits, while workers in high unemployment states are eligible for 33 weeks of benefits. High unemployment is defined as a state unemployment rate above 6% for a three month period.
What is the difference between first tier and second tier benefits?
In all 50 states, those who exhausted the 13 weeks of EUC benefits before the passage of the new law in November are now eligible for an existing 7 weeks of extended benefits. These are called additional first tier benefits.
If they live in a state with an unemployment rate of 6 percent or above (over a three month period), workers are eligible for an additional 13 weeks of second tier benefits.
My state already has an unemployment rate above 6 percent. Why I am being told that I only qualify for 7 weeks of benefits?
Workers in high unemployment states are being informed that they are eligible for an additional 7 weeks of benefits, but they expect to be told that they are eligble for an additional 20 weeks of benefits.
The reason is that workers’ must first run out of their 7 weeks of additional first tier benefits to be eligible for the 13 weeks of second tier benefits. Workers can only collect the second 13 weeks of benefits if their state is in “triggered on” when the worker exhausts their first tier benefits. (When states have the required unemployment rate, they are considered to be “triggered on” to the additional second tier of benefits.) Thus workers who exhausted the first extension before 11/21/2008 were only technically eligible for the additional 7 weeks when they first reapplied.
How can workers know whether they’ll get a second 13 weeks of benefits?
Workers can find out if there state meets the 6% threshold by checking the following website. The current list of states can be found at http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/euc_trigger/2008/euc_122808.html
Workers who qualified for 7 weeks of benefits starting on November 23, 2008 can rest assured that they will indeed receive a second 13 weeks of benefits if they can’t find work after receving their additional first tier benefits AND there state is listed in the notice above.
Why? States are required to remain in “on” status for at least 13 weeks.1 Thus, workers receiving 7 weeks of additonal first tier benefits in states considered high unemployment today can rest assured that their state will still be considered high unemployment if if they have received their first tier of benefits consecutively and run out in late January or early February.
That’s because states would still fall within the 13 week minimum “on” period window. In any case states will remain triggered on if their unemployment rate stays above 6 percent. With the national unemployment rate rising, states are unlikely to trigger off any time soon.
Why didn’t states just tell workers in high unemployment states that they are eligible for 20 weeks of benefits?
In the rare occurence that a worker ran out of their additional 7 weeks of benefits at a time when a state had triggered off they would not receive a second 13 week of benefits. For example, if a worker has temporary employment and stretches out their 7 weeks over a long period of time, their state might be triggered off by the time they were to qualify for second tier benefits. For that reason, states can only guarantee the jobless that they are eligible for 7 weeks of additional first tier benefits.
I am about to run out of my state benefits in January, how many weeks can I expect to receive?
You are guaranteed to recieve up to 20 weeks of first tier EUC benefits. If you remain unemployed after receiving 20 weeks of extended benefits, and at that time you live in a high unemployment state that is triggered on to the second tier benefits, you can receive a second tier of up to 13 weeks of benefits. This is a total of 33 weeks of benefits. The updated trigger notices are available at http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/claims_arch.asp by selecting “Emergency Unemployment Compensation Trigger Notices.”
I’m just curious – does this new stimulus package impact those of us who are using the current federal extension? I’m guessing no, but just wondering. Thanks
Does anyone know what the Phone number is for the Second Unemployment Exension in Massachusetts?