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If I understand correctly, the legislation passed last November, for a Tier 3/4 also added a 14th week to Tier 2. I'm currently close to the end of my Tier 3, but I never got anything from the state of Ga telling me that an extra week would have been added to my Tier 2. Do they just add it to Tier 3, but say that "technically" it was a Tier 2 addition? I'm confused?
Does everyone get that extra week? I've tried to call our DOL and getting through to them is near impossible
If I understand correctly, the legislation passed last November, for a Tier 3/4 also added a 14th week to Tier 2. I'm currently close to the end of my Tier 3, but I never got anything from the state of Ga telling me that an extra week would have been added to my Tier 2. Do they just add it to Tier 3, but say that "technically" it was a Tier 2 addition? I'm confused?
Does everyone get that extra week? I've tried to call our DOL and getting through to them is near impossible
Everyone who qualifies for Tier II gets the 14th week.
Because the 14th week of Tier II was enacted with Tier III (13 weeks) and Tier IV (6 weeks), not all states had the time to reprogram their systems to distribute the new weeks in that order. Some states added the 14th week onto Tier II, others added it to the 13 weeks of Tier III (some at the front of Tier III, others to the end of Tier III).
The written determination you received at the start of Tier III should have explained how your state was handling the 14th week of Tier II. If not, you can go back to your biweekly benefit stubs and count your weeks before Tier IV starts for you.
But the only way to officially confirm when you received or when you will receive that 14th week is to talk to your local DOL office -- where they have your personal record on their system.
Everyone who qualifies for Tier II gets the 14th week.
Because the 14th week of Tier II was enacted with Tier III (13 weeks) and Tier IV (6 weeks), not all states had the time to reprogram their systems to distribute the new weeks in that order. Some states added the 14th week onto Tier II, others added it to the 13 weeks of Tier III (some at the front of Tier III, others to the end of Tier III).
The written determination you received at the start of Tier III should have explained how your state was handling the 14th week of Tier II. If not, you can go back to your biweekly benefit stubs and count your weeks before Tier IV starts for you.
But the only way to officially confirm when you received or when you will receive that 14th week is to talk to your local DOL office -- where they have your personal record on their system.
Thanks for your input.
Unfortunately:
1) The determination letter I received for Tier 3 didn't say anything about the 14th week, one way or another.
2) I don't get any type of stub from Ga. We are paid weekly and it's automatically deposited into my bank account. I've tried to call them several times, but I can never get through. The one time I did, I was on hold for over an hour and then was hung up on by accident.
Without the 14th week, this week is my last week on Tier 3. If they did give me the Tier 2 14th week, then next week will be my last week on Tier 3. I'm just trying to figure out if they gave it to me or not. I would imagine they did, but don't want to take anything for granted.
Obviously the Tier 4 will help out (we're a state that is eligible for Tier 4), but any weeks I can get, I need. Jobs are about as rare as the dodo bird around here (I know, I know, I'm preaching to the choir).
1) The determination letter I received for Tier 3 didn't say anything about the 14th week, one way or another.
2) I don't get any type of stub from Ga. We are paid weekly and it's automatically deposited into my bank account. I've tried to call them several times, but I can never get through. The one time I did, I was on hold for over an hour and then was hung up on by accident.
Without the 14th week, this week is my last week on Tier 3. If they did give me the Tier 2 14th week, then next week will be my last week on Tier 3. I'm just trying to figure out if they gave it to me or not. I would imagine they did, but don't want to take anything for granted.
Obviously the Tier 4 will help out (we're a state that is eligible for Tier 4), but any weeks I can get, I need. Jobs are about as rare as the dodo bird around here (I know, I know, I'm preaching to the choir).
Thanks as always Dior, for your insight.
I know -- every time I write that someone really needs to confirm with their local DOL office, I cringe a little because I know it's nearly impossible to get a live agent on the line in any state.
Really none of these offices had systems in place to process the sheer volume of claimants, much less handle the complication of the federal extensions with ever-changing cut-off dates.
Here in New Jersey, they tacked week 14 of Tier II onto the beginning of Tier III, but they never explained that. So people exhausted the 13 weeks of Tier II, then they got approval for only 1 week -- and their balance went back down to zero before Tier III kicked in. It made everyone nuts!
But I have to say your situation in Georgia does sound worse. Sorry I couldn't help more!
I know -- every time I write that someone really needs to confirm with their local DOL office, I cringe a little because I know it's nearly impossible to get a live agent on the line in any state.
Really none of these offices had systems in place to process the sheer volume of claimants, much less handle the complication of the federal extensions with ever-changing cut-off dates.
Here in New Jersey, they tacked week 14 of Tier II onto the beginning of Tier III, but they never explained that. So people exhausted the 13 weeks of Tier II, then they got approval for only 1 week -- and their balance went back down to zero before Tier III kicked in. It made everyone nuts!
But I have to say your situation in Georgia does sound worse. Sorry I couldn't help more!
No worries. Calling them and being able to speak with a human being would be extremely nice, but I know they're swamped. I wish we had a way of being able to check our balance without having to call and speak with a person. I bet it would cut down on the amount of call volume they receive as well.
I guess the good news is, I'll qualify for Tier 4, seeing that this week is my last week of Tier 3, so that's at least another 6 weeks to find work. Hopefully I won't have to get into our state EB program, because I've heard it's a real headache.
I finally got through to a DOL person today. They were of no help.
She basically said that once my Tier 3 ends (this week), they will send me a determination letter letting me know what will happen next. I said "are you referring to Tier 4 or are you referring to the 14th week of Tier 2". She said "until you have a zero balance in your account, I won't know what letter you'll be getting first. Just keep certifying each week and we will send you a determination letter."
I asked if I needed to do anything to apply for Tier 4 and she said "no, just keep certifying and we will send you a determination". I'm assuming that's their generic answer for everything.
You'd think they'd be able to look at that very easily, but I guess not.
I would agree that is one of the worse cases -- after all the aggravation to finally get through to an agent and get such an answer. So sorry!
Well, the good news is, I know I've made the cut off for Tier 4, so at least I know I've got another 6 weeks worth of income coming in and it gives me a little more time to find something before I completely bottom out. It's only 1 week worth of pay and I know it seems like such a dumb thing to worry about, but at this point, every penny counts.
The lady I spoke with wasn't mean or rude, just very "blah". Like "yeah, can't do anything for ya.......next."
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