Extended Benefits--Help Please! (extension, file, receive, reapply)

[kodaka]

I am hoping to find someone who has some insight into the federal unemployment benefits extension. I'm referring to the EUC08, not the most recent one.

I have been told this week that I am ineligible for EUC08 benefits because my 'total wages in the base period must be at least one-and-one-half the wages in the quarter of the base period with the most wages.'

Here are my earnings for the past year:

Q1 2008: 13, 154 (earned in IL)
Q2 2008: 13, 154 (earned in IL)
Q3 2008: 8, 326 (earned in DC)
Q4 2008: 21, 541 (earned in DC)
Q1 2009: 21, 825 (earned in DC)

I'm just not sure if they were right to reject my claim or if I'm not understanding the terminology. My initial claim was rejected but a kind person put me in touch with the Associate Director of Unemployment Services who found that my claim had been improperly processed and I was in fact eligible.

I could invoke that Associate Director's email address again and request that my claim application be reviewed again, but I want to be sure that I am understanding the requirements before I do that.

1)What is my 'base period'? The DOES website states 'If your claim is filed in March, your base period is the 12-month period that ends the previous Sept 30.'
1a)Is the EUC08 base period the same as my initial claim?
1b)Is the website correct in stating that the two most recent quarters of one's earnings do not count toward eligibility? I have found that not all of the information is correct on the website. If only earnings through Sept 30 2008 qualify, then my only earnings that they would be looking at are $8,326.

2) as EUC08 is a federal benefit, does it matter if earnings were in the state that is paying out the benefit? If eaings through Sept 30 2008 qualify but it doesn't matter what state they were earned, my earnings are significantly more than 8,326.

3)Is the 'one and one half earnings' a legitimate requirement? I've tried searching for a reliable list of the federal regulations, but I can't find any. I've found many states' websites--and they all seem to be different. Are states able to impose their own restrictions on who can get the money?

Any information is greatly appreciated.

[sinsativ]

Ok, if your benefit year has ended, then yes, you'll have to open a new benefit year. If you can set a new regular UI claim (if you have enough wages in the base period to do so), then that's what will happen, and any extension money you had left on your old claim will just be lost. If you don't have enough money in the base period to set up a new regular UI claim, then they'll establish a new benefit year for you to go back and get the remaining extension money on your old claim.

Keep in mind that if you can set up a new regular UI claim, your weekly benefit amount may likely be higher or lower than your last claim, as it's calculated by taking the high quarter of wages in the base period and dividing by 26. Also, with a new regular UI claim you will have to re-qualify for extensions when the time comes. The formula to qualify is that your total base period wages must be equal to or greater than 1.5 times the high quarter of wages in the base period. Simple example is:

High quarter of wages: $10,000. Which means that your total base period wages must be equal to or greater than $15,000 to qualify for extensions.

Currently, the base period is 3Q2008, 4Q2008, 1Q2009 and 2Q2009. You must have wages of at least $4,550 spanning over at least two quarters in the base period in order to qualify for a new regular UI claim. Wages in just one quarter of the base period do not meet the requirements, even if it's $1 Million. You have to have wages in at least TWO quarters of the base period to set a regular UI claim.

[kodaka]

Thanks for the quick response! Maybe I wasn't entirely clear. I'm not trying to start a new benefit year (I don't think), I'm trying to get federal extension benefits.

AFAIK, my initial 'benefit year' has not expired. I was laid off on March 25, 2009. It is my understanding that my benefit year thus ends March 30, 2010. Based on my income, I received the maximum weekly amount of $329, with an annual benefit amount of $9,334--the last of which I received on October 19, 2009. I do understand that come March 30, 2010 I could file another claim and that provided I had some earned income, I would be eligible for another year of benefits.

But I'm trying to get an extension of the benefits that I have exhausted. It was my understanding that EUC08 is a federal program that provides an additional 20 weeks of benefits for persons whose initial claims have run out before they have found employment. The idea being that in this economy too many people, like me, are spending more than six months trying to find a new job and without some government aid, we would end up homeless and starving, in addition to unemployed. Is this not the case?

DC has another program called "Additional Benefits" which their website says can provide additional weeks of benefits but is to be used after all federal benefits have been exhausted. Perhaps I have misunderstood and I should be filing for this instead?

It is so frustrating that there is no one I can talk to in-person about this. I know in Illinois they have walk-in centers where you just get in line and ask the person at the counter whatever it is that you have a question about, and they then direct you to the right desk for resolution. DC has nothing like that. There's just an automated system and an 'inbox' at a security officer's desk in an office building. It's like trying to get an answer from the Wizard of Oz--nothing but smoke and mirrors.

[dannid3]

I am sorry to post on this thread, but see people are giving some good advise and feel list is my last hope to find some accurate info. I live in Illinois and lost my job in February 2009. I received my 26 weeks of state unemployment benefits and then went onto an extension program for approximately 6 weeks (EUC). I took a temporary job for 6 weeks and also found out when reopening my unemployment claim that my benefit year ended mid September 2009. A new claim was opened after my temp job was done and I received a letter that I was denied benefits under the new claim because I didn’t have enough income to qualify me. Upon calling about this was advised that my old EUC benefits would be reinstated.

I then received a letter that my new claim from September 2009, from my new benefit year which started, was approved. However, this puts me at 26 new weeks of benefits from the State which expire early March 2010. From everything I have read, if a person has not exhausted their state benefits by December 31, 2009 they are not EUC eligible. So, I feel like I am in a catch twenty-two, as I was receiving EUC benefits, had a new benefit year start, told I was denied, then that decision reversed, now on regular unemployment leaving me with no access to extended benefits.

I have spent the last 22 hours on the internet reading articles, Illinois law, blogs or anything I could access and have come to realize that I will not get be eligible for the EUC extension. This has put me so far over the edge I don’t know what to do. Can you please help me, as the Illinois Employment Securities help line has given me so much conflicting information I just don’t know where things stand.

PLEASE HELP ME.

Thank you and God Bless,

Danielle

[OHGreat]

Originally Posted by dannid3

I am sorry to post on this thread, but see people are giving some good advise and feel list is my last hope to find some accurate info. I live in Illinois and lost my job in February 2009. I received my 26 weeks of state unemployment benefits and then went onto an extension program for approximately 6 weeks (EUC). I took a temporary job for 6 weeks and also found out when reopening my unemployment claim that my benefit year ended mid September 2009. A new claim was opened after my temp job was done and I received a letter that I was denied benefits under the new claim because I didn’t have enough income to qualify me. Upon calling about this was advised that my old EUC benefits would be reinstated.

I then received a letter that my new claim from September 2009, from my new benefit year which started, was approved. However, this puts me at 26 new weeks of benefits from the State which expire early March 2010. From everything I have read, if a person has not exhausted their state benefits by December 31, 2009 they are not EUC eligible. So, I feel like I am in a catch twenty-two, as I was receiving EUC benefits, had a new benefit year start, told I was denied, then that decision reversed, now on regular unemployment leaving me with no access to extended benefits.

I have spent the last 22 hours on the internet reading articles, Illinois law, blogs or anything I could access and have come to realize that I will not get be eligible for the EUC extension. This has put me so far over the edge I don’t know what to do. Can you please help me, as the Illinois Employment Securities help line has given me so much conflicting information I just don’t know where things stand.

PLEASE HELP ME.

Thank you and God Bless,

Danielle

Danielle,
No one at this time gets EUC after the end of the year after the tier they are on runs out. Dont worry to much about it yet. I expect at some point. Hopefully congress will get off its arse and start making it thru 2010 for everyone. It should happen with how bad stuff is out here. They are just behind in helping everyone as shown by the last extension. There's no good reason for it though in my book. I reapply for a new benefit year on monday. Im hoping myself to get pushed back to week 1 as well as you should get all your extensions again as long as congress approves them. I much would rather have a decent paying job by then but Im not betting on it after a year of being off.

[dannid3]

THANK YOU. Your feedback has been much appreciated and my husband and I just figured that if no benefits are extended we will just walk away from our house, as we are nearing foreclosure and I will continue to look for a job like everyone else. Thanks for the quick response, I wish you and your family a safe and joyous holiday season. I am decided to stop reading about this, for now at least, things are just too hard and I just can't take too much more today. God Bless

[OHGreat]

Originally Posted by dannid3

THANK YOU. Your feedback has been much appreciated and my husband and I just figured that if no benefits are extended we will just walk away from our house, as we are nearing foreclosure and I will continue to look for a job like everyone else. Thanks for the quick response, I wish you and your family a safe and joyous holiday season. I am decided to stop reading about this, for now at least, things are just too hard and I just can't take too much more today. God Bless

I know what your saying Danielle. After my Unemployment runs out even though I have money to pay the mortgage I think Im going to walk away as well as I believe I may need the money I have saved to live for a while without a job. Back to Mom and Dads and I'm to old for that but what can you do. There are no jobs. Let alone Im in the worse state in the union for jobs.

[apee54]

So I am one of the many who took temp work while on unemployment, and it has come back to bit me in the butt.... So I reached my year end in Jan 2010. I received a letter in Dec stating I had funds for the extension of teir 2. Less than a month later I received another letter that the I didn't make enough for a new claim. So I called my local office and after leaving several messages I finaly got a person. That person showed I had a good claim and a bad one. So he sent to have it fixed. I got told that I was elgible for a new claim even though I got a letter stating I wasn't. But of course it was at a much lower amount. So how is it that all the sudden I got a new claim? I think they are finding ways for people to be elgible for a new claim just so they can pay them lower benefits. Anyone else having this issue?

[starrhigs]

My husband was told about 3 months ago that he had one more tier of 8 weeks and then he would be eligible for Extended Benefits (EB). We recieved a letter two weeks after his last extention ended saying he was not eligible for the extension that was resently passed. So he went down to umemployment to see what was up with EB benefits and this time was told that he does not qualify and will recieve nothing. I do not understand how someone told him he would get EB after his extensions were exhausted and now its a different story. I also am having an issue with food stamps. We are a family of 5 living below the poverty level at this time and was only approved for $50 per month. We know and have met many people with smaller families who recieve hundreds of dollars per month. I just dont get it!

[Ariadne22]

Originally Posted by starrhigs

My husband was told about 3 months ago that he had one more tier of 8 weeks and then he would be eligible for Extended Benefits (EB). We recieved a letter two weeks after his last extention ended saying he was not eligible for the extension that was resently passed. So he went down to umemployment to see what was up with EB benefits and this time was told that he does not qualify and will recieve nothing. I do not understand how someone told him he would get EB after his extensions were exhausted and now its a different story. I also am having an issue with food stamps. We are a family of 5 living below the poverty level at this time and was only approved for $50 per month. We know and have met many people with smaller families who recieve hundreds of dollars per month. I just dont get it!

What state are you in?

Extended Benefits can be denied if your husband had been found guilty of misconduct by his former employer. He should know if this was the case when he first filed for benefits. His original claim may have been denied and/or payments delayed. There also may be other reasons, i.e., the original claim was not adequate to qualify for EB.

Re food stamps, you need to reapply or update your application based on your current income. Your previous allocation was based on the unemployment compensation your husband was receiving in addition to any cash assets and vehicles of any value which you might have. Since he isn't receiving benefits anymore, your eligibility situation may have changed. You might also qualify for energy and other assistance. Visit your Department of Social Services.