Confused about states ending EB based on falling below 110%... (extension, file, receive)

[odessit771]

Can someone explain this to me:

Based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on March 25, and current law, Indiana, North Carolina, Tennessee and Wisconsin no longer meet the 110% criteria to remain "on" in the EB program. The payable period for these states in EB concludes April 16, 2011.


All of these states meet 6.5% requirement. What is 110% req? I am in Pa; Is Pennsylvania next?


Thank you!

[Ariadne22]

Originally Posted by odessit771

Can someone explain this to me:

Based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on March 25, and current law, Indiana, North Carolina, Tennessee and Wisconsin no longer meet the 110% criteria to remain "on" in the EB program. The payable period for these states in EB concludes April 16, 2011.


All of these states meet 6.5% requirement. What is 110% req? I am in Pa; Is Pennsylvania next?

Very much appreciate the heads up on this. That means my unemployment benefits end the middle of May. I will have collected 73 weeks total as Wisconsin triggered off Tier IV a while ago, and now the entirety of EB. Wisconsin website states today just what you have posted. As of April 16, EB ceases. Wis. unemployment rate is 7.4%.

Here is explanatory data I got from NELP website:

Current EB Program. Currently, EB provides up to 13 weeks of additional UI benefits to workers who exhaust their regular UI benefits (usually 26 weeks). States are required to have an automatic EB trigger that is an Insured Unemployment Rate (IUR) of at least 5%, with its IUR exceeding a threshold of 120 percent of its IUR for the corresponding period in each of the prior 2 calendar years. Put more simply, the threshold requirement means that a state's unemployment rate has to keep rising to keep EB triggered on indefinitely. In addition, all but 12 states have elected to have an optional 6% IUR trigger without the 120 percent threshold.

States have another trigger option under federal law. In addition to the two IUR triggers, states are free to adopt EB triggers using a total unemployment rate (TUR) figure that offers benefit extensions of two durations. (TURs are what most of us think of as the "unemployment rate." IURs count only those that are unemployed and file a valid UI claim, serve a waiting week, or receive UI benefits.) Federal law authorizes a TUR trigger option requiring two trigger levels that pay two lengths of UI benefit extensions. First, with a TUR trigger of 6.5% and a threshold requirement of 110 percent of either or both of the previous two years, states pay 13 weeks of EB. The second part of the TUR trigger option provides that under a TUR exceeding 8% and meeting the 110 percent threshold requirement, states pay 20 weeks of EB benefits. Only 7 states (Alaska, Connecticut, Kansas, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington) have exercised the TUR trigger option since it was made available to states in 1993.

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=...YZZhn45MYG__Pg

It would appear from this explanation, any state with a declining unemployment rate sooner or later will find the 110%/120% threshold would not be met in spite of having a TUR of over 6.5%/6%.

Yes, PA (among others) could very well be next over the upcoming one or two quarters depending on its threshold.

[leftygl]

hi so pa is safe until may at least for eb ? i have just 6 weeks left

[leftygl]

pa unemployment rate in feb march april 2009 was a little over 7.1 right now its over 8%

wouldnt it have to fall below 7 for eb to stop from what i just read its 110% below same month based on 2 yrs ago

[Ariadne22]

Originally Posted by leftygl

hi so pa is safe until may at least for eb ? i have just 6 weeks left

If they haven't announced for April, at this point you are safe through the middle of May when the next BLS report comes out.

Originally Posted by leftygl

pa unemployment rate in feb march april 2009 was a little over 7.1 right now its over 8%

wouldnt it have to fall below 7 for eb to stop from what i just read its 110% below same month based on 2 yrs ago

If PA is higher now than it was a year ago, it would appear you are correct.

WI has been experiencing a declining unemployment rate for the past six months at least. In March of 2009, our unemployment rate was 9.4%. Now it is 2% below that.

[pugsanonymous]

How might this effect NJ? I just started Tier IV and will be heading into EB in a month or so. I was hoping and counting on EB.

Thanks!

[Ariadne22]

Originally Posted by pugsanonymous

How might this effect NJ? I just started Tier IV and will be heading into EB in a month or so. I was hoping and counting on EB.

Yes, so was I counting on 13 weeks. This is a complete out-of-left field event. Bummer.

I do not know about NJ. Since NJ state law mandates EB, this threshold requirement might be moot. Diorgirl would know more about that.

[diorgirl]

Originally Posted by pugsanonymous

How might this effect NJ? I just started Tier IV and will be heading into EB in a month or so. I was hoping and counting on EB.

Thanks!

New Jersey does not meet the original 110% federal criteria required to continue offering EB, and so the state is scheduled to stop paying EB in May or June (I haven't been able to confirm the date).

However, the federal legislation passed last year does gives states the option to expand the two-year trigger to three years. In New Jersey's case, lawmakers can extend benefits for much of 2011 or for the rest of the year -- as long as the unemployment rate equals or exceeds 110% of the jobless rates for the same periods in 2008 or 2009.

Back then, the state's unemployment rate ranged from 4.2% to 6%, far below the current rate of 9.1%, so EB benefits could be extended if law is enacted by the state adopting the new criteria.

Since nearly a half million New Jerseyans are still unemployed, the state's current unemployment rate seems stalled at around 9%, and the Republican Governor's efforts to jump start hiring by private companies haven't shown much progress -- the Democratic controlled legislature is trying to move ahead with the extension of EB.

The New Jersey State Senate and Assembly have already passed legislation to extend EB using the three-year 110% trigger; the bill is awaiting Governor Chris Christie's signature.

Christie hasn't spoken publicly on the measure, so no one is sure where he stands on the issue, or if, or when, he'll sign the bill.

Unemployment benefits bill sent to Gov. Chris Christie | NJ.com
Unemployment Benefits Measure Sent To Christie - New Jersey 101.5 FM (http://www.nj1015.com/Unemployment-Benefits-Measure-Sent-To-Christie/9537957 - broken link)
Christie to consider unemployment benefits extension

[pugsanonymous]

Originally Posted by diorgirl

New Jersey does not meet the original 110% federal criteria required to continue offering EB, and so the state is scheduled to stop paying EB in May or June (I haven't been able to confirm the date).

However, the federal legislation passed last year does gives states the option to expand the two-year trigger to three years. In New Jersey's case, lawmakers can extend benefits for much of 2011 or for the rest of the year -- as long as the unemployment rate equals or exceeds 110% of the jobless rates for the same periods in 2008 or 2009.

Back then, the state's unemployment rate ranged from 4.2% to 6%, far below the current rate of 9.1%, so EB benefits could be extended if law is enacted by the state adopting the new criteria.

Since nearly a half million New Jerseyans are still unemployed, the state's current unemployment rate seems stalled at around 9%, and the Republican Governor's efforts to jump start hiring by private companies haven't shown much progress -- the Democratic controlled legislature is trying to move ahead with the extension of EB.

The New Jersey State Senate and Assembly have already passed legislation to extend EB using the three-year 110% trigger; the bill is awaiting Governor Chris Christie's signature.

Christie hasn't spoken publicly on the measure, so no one is sure where he stands on the issue, or if, or when, he'll sign the bill.

Unemployment benefits bill sent to Gov. Chris Christie | NJ.com
Unemployment Benefits Measure Sent To Christie - New Jersey 101.5 FM (http://www.nj1015.com/Unemployment-Benefits-Measure-Sent-To-Christie/9537957 - broken link)
Christie to consider unemployment benefits extension

Thanks for the detailed info. I sure hope he signs the bill.

[odessit771]

Diorgirl, do you know anything about 110% trigger and PA?