[Mr North Jersey]

OK there seems to be a lot of confusion as to cutoff dates and so on so I will attempt to explain things as best I can and if along the way you find any inaccuracies please feel free to correct me.

1) H.R.3548 is an amendment of "EUC" so that means it will be "EUC Tier 3".
If you go to Rep McDermott's site (http://www.house.gov/mcdermott/pr090922.shtml - broken link) you will read where it states

Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009 (HR 3548)
• HR 3548 would amend the current Emergency Unemployment Compensation
(EUC) program to provide up to another 13 weeks of extended unemployment
benefits in high unemployment States (bringing the total amount of potential EUC
benefits to 46 weeks).

EUC Tier 1 was for 20 weeks
EUC Tier 2 was for 13 weeks
EUC Tier 3 (http://www.house.gov/mcdermott/pr090922.shtml - broken link) will be 13 weeks (once passed)
Total EUC 46 weeks.

2) Regarding cutoff dates according to NJ Dept of Labor when EUC Tier 1 was passed the requirements were

You may be eligible for benefits under the EUC Tier I program if you meet all of the following conditions:

• You are unemployed or working part-time;

• You are not eligible for a new regular unemployment insurance claim;
• You filed a new unemployment insurance claim dated May 7, 2006 or later;
• You exhausted your unemployment insurance benefits or the benefit year on your claim has expired; and
• Your had 20 base weeks or more (gross earnings of $143 or more per week) or you had earnings of at least 40 times the weekly benefit rate in your base year.

Then according to NJ Dept of Labor when EUC Tier 2 was passed the requirements were

To receive EUC Tier II benefits, you must be eligible for and have exhausted your EUC Tier I benefits. In addition, you cannot be eligible for a new unemployment insurance claim in New Jersey or in any other state or Canada.

Notice that for EUC Tier 2 all you needed is to have exhausted all your EUC Tier 1 benefits.

Now the EB program not being part of EUC had a different set of guidelines

The EB program was expanded with the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act signed by President Obama, to include individuals with Unemployment Insurance (UI) claims dated May 7, 2006 or later who exhaust all Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) Tier II benefits during an approved EB period.

You may be potentially eligible for EB benefits if you meet one of the following qualifications:

• The original date of your UI claim was March 23, 2008 or later and you exhausted all Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) Tier II benefits; or

• You are currently receiving EUC Tier II benefits and exhaust your benefits with week ending March 21, 2009 or later, and New Jersey is still in an approved EB period.

Now no one knows what will happen once the Senate and or State get a hold of H.R.3548 but if they follow the guideline already set in place for EUC Tier 1 and EUC Tier 2 then odds are all you will need is to have exhausted all your benefits to qualify.