Unemployment Extension Legislation Update
February 22, 2009: The National Employment Law Project (NELP) has a Q&A (PDF) that details the new options available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act which allows high unemployment states to provide up to 13 to 20 weeks of additional extended benefits to workers who run out of federal funded unemployment benefits. Currently, there are 20 to 33 weeks of benefits for workers who run out of their state unemployment, so this plan, if adopted by the states, would provide additional weeks of federally funded benefits. States need to qualify for the funding, based on the level of unemployment. The Department of Labor has a weekly trigger notice with an update of which states have reached the unemployment level to qualify for the extended benefits funding.
Additional information on the extension will be available on state unemployment office web sites.
February 19, 2009: The National Employment Law Project reports that the economic stimulus plan (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) will continue the temporary emergency federal benefits program through the end of December, enabling more than 3.1 million additional jobless workers to receive extended benefits.
The National Employment Law Project also notes that "The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) also ensures that workers exhausting EUC benefits this year will have access to an additional 13 - 20 weeks of extended benefits under the permanent Extended Benefits (EB) program if they live in a state that meets certain definitions of high unemployment."
This Fact Sheet provides estimates of the number of jobless workers who will receive extended benefits.
February 14, 2009: Congress approved the economic stimulus plan which includes $27 billion towards the extension of unemployment benefits. The bill continues the extended unemployment benefits program, which was scheduled to phase out at the end of March. The program provides up to 33 weeks of extended benefits to workers who exhaust their regular 26 weeks of benefits.
Payments will increase by about $25 a month.
Extended benefits are In addition, the first $2400 of unemployment benefits received in 2009 will not be subject to federal taxes. Also, the number of workers eligible for unemployment benefits has been expanded.
There is also help with health insurance in the legislation. The government will pay for 65% of COBRA health insurance premiums for covered unemployed workers for up to nine months. Workers laid off between September 1, 2008 - December 31, 2009 are eligible.
December 11, 2008: Many state unemployment offices are backlogged processing unemployment claims, with some states reporting a two/three week delay. However, new staff are being added and the delay should ease up in the near future. If you have have a new claim for unemployment, the quickest way to apply is to file for unemployment benefits online
For updates on extended benefits, check on your State Unemployment Office web site for details on the extension.
If you need to call, expect long delays in getting through to a representive and be prepared to keep calling. Early or late in the day are the best times to call.
State Extended Benefits
Extended Unemployment Benefits are available to workers who have exhausted regular unemployment insurance benefits during periods of high unemployment. There are triggers (calculations based on the state unemployment rate) that determine when a State will extend benefits.
The basic Extended Benefits program provides up to 13 additional weeks of benefits when a State is experiencing high unemployment. Some States have also enacted a voluntary program to pay up to 7 additional weeks (20 weeks maximum) of Extended Benefits during periods of extremely high unemployment.
Amount of Benefits
The weekly benefit amount of Extended Benefits is the same as the individual received for regular unemployment compensation. The total amount of Extended Benefits that an individual could receive may be fewer than 13 weeks or fewer than 20 weeks.
How to Collect Extended Benefits
When a State begins an Extended Benefit period, it notifies those who have received all of their regular benefits that they may be eligible for Extended Benefits. You may contact the State Unemployment Insurance agency to ask whether Extended Benefits are available.
Check with your State Unemployment Office for information on what benefits you are entitled to.
DISCLAIMER:
The private web sites, and the information linked to both on and from this site, is opinion and information. While I have made every effort to link accurate and complete information, I cannot guarantee it is correct. Please seek legal assistance, or assistance from State, Federal, or International governmental resources to make certain your legal interpretation and decisions are correct. This information is not legal advice and is for guidance only.
