AUG#: +130,000 jobs.

Unemployment up at 3.7%...AUG jobs under Trump HERE

Friday, February 17, 2012

How Many Weeks of Unemployment Compensation Will I Get Now? (Updated September 25, 2016)

What's Going On With Unemployment Insurance Benefits Compensation Extensions?

9/25/2016 Update:  Still no update; same as below.  There are NO FEDERAL unemployment extensions these days.  There are no EUC08 benefits available for 2016.  In fact, some Republican-led states offer 20 or fewer weeks of unemployment benefits, which you can see on the map and chart below.  As long as the unemployment rate continues to go down, don't expect any more unemployment benefit extensions.   However, a few states have programs that provide some extra weeks of unemployment benefits.  Massachusetts, for instance, has a "Section 30" program providing extra weeks of benefits if people are in approved training.  Please check with your state Department of Labor to determine if your state has any such programs, and, if so, what the requirements of such programs are.  
11/5/2015 Update:  Still no update.  There are NO FEDERAL unemployment extensions these days.  There are no EUC08 benefits available for 2015.  In fact, some Republican-led states offer 20 or fewer weeks of unemployment benefits, which you can see on the map and chart below.  As long as the unemployment rate continues to go down, don't expect any more unemployment benefit extensions.   However, a few states have programs that provide some extra weeks of unemployment benefits.  Massachusetts, for instance, has a "Section 30" program providing extra weeks of benefits if people are in approved training.  Please check with your state Department of Labor to determine if your state has any such programs, and, if so, what the requirements of such programs are.  
1/31/2015 Update:  Well, no update.  There are NO unemployment extensions these days.  In fact, some Republican-led states offer 20 or fewer weeks of unemployment benefits, which you can see on the map and chart below.  As long as the unemployment rate continues to go down, don't expect any more unemployment benefit extensions.  
8/3/2014 Update:  The Republicans in the House blocked the Senate-approved bill to extend unemployment benefits that is mentioned below; it was never brought to a vote.  And last week the Republican-led House of Representatives went on their 5 week August vacation.  It is doubtful that extended unemployment benefits will be approved.  The map in blue below show the current number of weeks that people can expect to get unemployment insurance.  The best synopsis of the current situation is presented HERE, by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont).  
From the article:  "Democrats have met every condition that Republicans have set forth to extend the program. We have agreed to offset the cost of the program, despite the fact that House Republicans have passed more than $700 billion in unpaid-for tax cuts, largely for big corporations. We have agreed to extend the program prospectively, rather than retroactively. And we have urged connecting the legislation to a jobs package such as legislation to extend Highway Trust Fund. 
By wide margins, Americans favor extending the program. Still, Republicans continue to block a single vote in the House.
The fight to renew unemployment insurance has always been about those who are most affected. This is about the forgotten Americans struggling just to make ends meet. Hundreds of people like Josephine have contacted my office to share their heart-breaking stories and ask for support from Congress. We hear them, we stand with them, and we urge House Republicans to end their resistance to an extension."  
We need to remember that the Republicans have repeatedly blocked job creation bills, even those that help veterans, and that the Republicans consider anti-environmental and anti-regulatory bills as "job creation" bills.  
4/30/2014 Update:  The Senate did approve a bill to extend unemployment benefits retroactively to December 28, 2013.  That bill was passed by the Senate April 7.  As of April 30, 2014, the House, led by Republican Speaker John Boehner, has refused to consider the bill even though it is paid for.  Republican Boehner apparently claims that there are no "job creation" measures in the bill.  We need to remember that the Republicans have repeatedly blocked job creation bills, even those that help veterans, and that the Republicans consider anti-environmental and anti-regulatory bills as "job creation" bills.  
3/13/2014 Update:  The Senate apparently has come to a deal to extend unemployment benefits.  However, it will need to be approved by the Senate and then sent to the House before it becomes law.  It will not be voted on by the whole Senate before March 24th, and, if it musters the sixty votes needed for passage in the Senate, it will then need to go to the House. Its fate in the House is not certain.  The compromise bill would, if it does become law, provide benefits retroactive to December 28, 2013.   
Important Note:  ALL extended unemployment benefits expired the week ending December 28, 2013.  

MORE HERE:  Unemployment Extensions Expire: What Does That Mean?


Below is the map from the Center on Budget and Priority Policies with maximum weeks of unemployment that are available now, in late 2016, after unemployment extensions expired and were not renewed.  The link above at the Center on Budget and Priority Policies explains why some states have more or less than 26 weeks of benefits available.




The table below (from The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities HERE) shows the information above in list form; that is, the latest three-month average unemployment rate for each state over July-September 2015, as well as the maximum number of weeks of UI benefits currently available in each state through regular UI.  The maximum number of weeks of UI benefits have been updated for 2016, but the 3 month unemployment average has not yet been updated.

Unemployment Rates and Weeks of Unemployment Insurance (UI) Available
State
Unemployment (3 month avg.)
Reg. UI available
Alabama
6.1%
26 weeks
Alaska
6.6%
26 weeks
Arizona
6.2%
26 weeks
Arkansas
5.4%
20 weeks
California
6.1%
26 weeks
Colorado
4.2%
26 weeks
Connecticut
5.3%
26 weeks
Delaware
4.8%
26 weeks
District of Columbia
6.8%
26 weeks
Florida
5.3%
12 weeks
Georgia
5.9%
14 weeks



Hawaii
3.5%
26 weeks
Idaho
4.2%
26 weeks
Illinois
5.6%
26 weeks
Indiana
4.6%
26 weeks
Iowa
3.7%
26 weeks
Kansas
4.5%
16 weeks
Kentucky
5.1%
26 weeks
Louisiana
6.1%
26 weeks
Maine
4.5%
26 weeks
Maryland
5.1%
26 weeks
Massachusetts
4.6%
30 weeks
Michigan
5.1%
20 weeks
Minnesota
3.9%
26 weeks
Mississippi
6.3%
26 weeks
Missouri
5.6%
13 weeks
Montana
4.1%
28 weeks
Nebraska
2.8%
26 weeks
Nevada
6.8%
26 weeks
New Hampshire
3.6%
26 weeks
New Jersey
5.7%
26 weeks
New Mexico
6.7%
26 weeks
New York
5.2%
26 weeks
North Carolina
5.9%
13 weeks



North Dakota
2.9%
26 weeks
Ohio
4.7%
26 weeks
Oklahoma
4.5%
26 weeks
Oregon
6.1%
26 weeks
Pennsylvania
5.4%
26 weeks
Puerto Rico
11.6%
26 weeks
Rhode Island
5.6%
26 weeks
South Carolina
6.0%
20 weeks
South Dakota
3.6%
26 weeks
Tennessee
5.7%
26 weeks
Texas
4.2%
26 weeks
Utah
3.6%
26 weeks
Vermont
3.6%
26 weeks
Virgin Islands
7.3%
26 weeks
Virginia
4.5%
26 weeks
Washington
5.3%
26 weeks
West Virginia
7.5%
26 weeks
Wisconsin
4.5%
26 weeks
Wyoming
4.0%
26 weeks

51 comments:

  1. Someone on another site is saying even if you have collected one week of EB and your state triggers off you are not entitled to the 10 weeks.. you are saying it appears we would.. i'm so confused =(

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Tiredlullaby.. Thanks for stopping by. I think it is confusing and many people still don't know exactly what it means, particularly for people who are on EB. There is no change to EB, so if your EB triggers off, you won't get any more EB. The question you have is whether or not you will have the ten extra weeks under Tier IV. That is unclear and I don't mean to imply in my article that people will get the ten extra weeks.

    ReplyDelete
  3. So coming from the other side of the fence as an employer....how do I know how many weeks a former employee has left on her unemployment in the state of Illinois

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Anonymous... I don't think that there is any direct way you can tell. If you are talking about regular state unemployment, if the person was laid off in 2011 or earlier, the person has 26 weeks of regular state unemployment before all of the tiers kick in. If laid off in 2012, then person has 25 weeks of regular state unemployment before all of the tiers kick in.

    But you don't know if any specific employee has or has not USED his/her specific weeks. In other words, an employee can be ill or take a vacation and not use his/her unemployment weeks during that time. He/she still gets 25 or 26 regular state unemployment weeks, but it may take him/her 27 or 28 or 30 weeks to use those regular state unemployment weeks.

    So.. no easy answer to your question. I believe that employers do get reports of benefits used from IDES, but I don't know how detailed they are; that is, I don't know if the employer gets a report telling him/her how many people or which people are collecting how many weeks on a claim/claims from his/her business. You would have to talk to someone at IDES for that information.

    ReplyDelete
  5. She was fired (long story) in April 2011. I do receive notices every quarter but to tell you the truth it's almost like reading them in a different language because of the verbiage being so confusing. It doesn't really say anything about how many weeks she has left.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hello, I was laid off in April 2012, I worked from August 2011 to April 2012. I only received 19 weeks of UC and I did not qualify for EUC Tier 1 because I only worked 19 weeks in 2011. I am confused as to why they did not include the weeks from January - April 2012. I have appealed and have a phone hearing next week. Any thoughts

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry, I have missed some of the comments here over the last couple of weeks. How did your appeal go? If you lost, did they at least explain things so that you could understand them? I know that qualification for EUC varies depending on how long you worked and how much money you made during the base period.

      Delete
  7. Hi- I filed for unemployment in Dec 2011, and have been obn it almost one year with only a few interviews and no prospect of employmeny, my county is California is the lowest unemployment rate. How home can I expect help in unemplyoment? I am at the end of my nerves and rope, so to speak?
    Thank you all for help
    California girl

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It looks as though people in California can now get a maximum of 73 weeks, but that is only to the end of the year. All extensions are set to expire in late 2012, and, with the unemployment rate declining all over and with so much push against extending unemployment insurance, I do not believe that unemployment insurance will be extended past the basic 20 to 26 weeks after the first of the year.

      It would seem that you would only get unemployment insurance through the end of the year, though you would have to contact your state unemployment office to find out for sure. The unemployment rate in your county shouldn't make a difference, as weeks of unemployment insurance are determined on the state level, not the county level.

      Good luck to you.

      Delete
  8. I'm so confused so forgive me please. I live in Illinois and can't seem to find a direct answer. How many weeks of Unemployment will I get with out applying for extended etc.... Will it just run out and I won't be able to certify any longer?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Right now basic unemployment insurance in Illinois is offered for 25 weeks. After you run out of the 25 weeks, the system automatically files an application for you for extended unemployment benefits. If you are eligible for them, you can just continue to certify. If you are not eligible, you can certify anyway, but you won't get any payments.

      I believe the above is true, as we live in Illinois, but you should check with your local unemployment office to be sure.

      My husband was collecting unemployment insurance in Illinois last year, and he had to call the hotline a few times for various things and always found them very helpful.

      Delete
    2. Thank you! So when the 25 weeks run out was there a gap in pay at all until the extended kick in?

      Delete
    3. When my husband was collecting last year, there was no gap in pay between regular UI benefits and extended benefits.

      Delete
  9. I am in Washington DC, I was told when it started that I had 13 weeks in tier 3? however after week 9 they said I am ineligible to file a weekly claim. So is that the way it is? left us high and dry.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unfortunately, that is the way it is. Weeks available in Tier 3 went down to 9 from 14 starting in September. So anyone who had not yet received all of their Tier 3 weeks was just out of luck.

      Delete
  10. Hello, I have lost my job as of today due to the loss of a Govt. contract. I am 60 years old and have never been without a job since I was 16. This is all new to me. I don't imagine there are a lot of people interested in hiring a 60 year old and I know the job market I am qualified for, and it is grim. I have been on the hiring end of this for the past 22 years and I know where the jobs are...and there aren't many. Anyway, my question is... as of this time, Dec 2012, what is the total number of weeks of benefits I can expect to receive in the state of Florida? I have been online all morning and it is all so confusing. I haven't even filed my claim yet. I have a few weeks vacation to use up before I file. Can you help? Thanks so much!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They have stopped the extended benifits in all States except NY. I am in the same boat you're in excet I am 50 and its tough out here. To answer your question about Florida you have 26 weeks of unemployment.

      Delete
    2. I'm very sorry, Anonymous in Florida... My husband and I are also 60-ish and we know that things are glum for those of us who are no longer spring chickens. However, the job market is getting better and the unemployment rate everywhere is going down. But that still doesn't mean that there aren't hundreds of thousands of people who aren't struggling or who aren't going to struggle.

      Actually, according to the information in the article from Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, you only have 23 weeks of regular state unemployment available, thanks to the governor's efforts to get all of those lazy people back to work-- (Yes, sarcasm.) The same governor who wasted the taxpayer's money by drug testing welfare recipients which resulted in lawsuits and only a tiny percentage of positive drug tests.

      Unless unemployment benefits are extended as part of the ongoing Fiscal Cliff negotiations, you will only get those 23 weeks.

      Delete
    3. To the other anonymous person:

      This is the first time since I was a yung'un when I wished I were a bit older. I'm counting the months until I qualify for early Social Security next year.

      Delete
  11. Can you explain requalificatipn in NJ? I worked from 11/11-4/12. I only received 13 weeks unemployment, I filed that claim in April of 2012. I am working now but gave heard rumors that the person I replaced is looking to come back so I may be laid off. I have only been there for 5 weeks. I was told if I put a claim in in April I would be able to collect from my first job? Is this correct?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Each state is somewhat different in terms of requalification. However, I believe that all states use the "quarter" system to determine eligibility for unemployment benefits. Many use the "last four out of five closed quarters" to determine how much someone might be eligible for in unemployment benefits. If that was true for New Jersey, you would have a better chance of getting benefits if, assuming you are laid off in the next few weeks or days, you waited until April to file. Here's a link that you can play with at the New Jersey unemployment website: Add a quarter and "play" with the January file date as April and see what that might do.

      New Jersey unemployment calculator

      Delete
  12. I have been unemployed since 2009, I have been recieved unemployement compensation and have extended my weeks, still looking for a job, changed my career recieved AA degree still no job, still in college working on my BS degree. I told that more tiers was given, would I be eliably to recieved the extend tiers even though its been since 2011. that I have extended my regular tiers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Are you saying that you are still on unemployment benefits and you have been since 2009? No state currently offers more than 73 weeks. Have you worked part-time? Did you not collect when you were in school? Could you please explain your situation in a bit more detail? Anybody who started receiving unemployment benefits in 2009 and received them straight through exhausted those years ago. Nobody has ever been able to receive more than 99 weeks (not quite two years) straight of unemployment. Again, some people who started and stopped, worked part-time or temporary jobs may have started a new benefit year on a new claim.

      Delete
  13. My last day of full time employment was on 11/18/2011. Some time in the beginning of 2012 I began working part time until the end of September 2012, while drawing unemployment. IDES has screwed up my account and has sent me a very large bill that they want repaid. How many weeks of unemployment am I legally entitled to in the state of Illinois under the extension? I have been told that I am not entitled to the funds that I received when they used the alternate base period. I am so confused and worried. Do not know what to do.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Anonymous.. I'm not really sure that I can help you with this. Did you inform IDES that you were working part-time and did you tell them how much you were making? Were your unemployment benefits reduced while you were working part-time? If you didn't tell IDES that you were working, you will have to pay back pretty IDES quite a bit, but I don't know if they recalculate for the weeks that you were working or if you have to pay back all of the benefits that you received when you were working part-time.

      You mention an alternate base period. Your original base period started in late November or early December of 2011... When was your alternate base period established? Why did they establish an alternate base period for you?

      If you had collected straight through, you would be entitled to 63 weeks of unemployment benefits, which would be ending for you just about now. The recent extensions did not add any weeks; it just extended the number of available weeks for people who hadn't yet exhausted all of last year's extensions...like you. If they established a new base period for you, it would depend on what you earned and when you worked.

      I'm sorry I can't be of more help... Even if you told IDES that you were working part-time and you gave them the correct information, if they gave you full checks instead of reduced checks (in other words, they made the mistake, not you), you will still have to pay back the extra money that they gave you.

      If you can come back and post more specific information, perhaps I can give you a better idea of what IDES can and can't do.

      Delete
  14. Molly, can you confirm that Illinois has triggered "on" to tier 4 EUC08 benefits? Do you know how many weeks those benefits are? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ally.. I just got home and saw your comment.. .Let me check it out on a few different websites and get back to you in 15-30 minutes.

      Delete
    2. Yep.. I found the "official" notice. The current week is the first week in which Illinois claimants can claim benefits under tier 4.

      Illinois' trigger value has met the 9.0% trigger threshold, establishing an eligibility period in Tier 4 of EUC08.

      "Based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on March 29, 2013, the three month average, seasonally adjusted total unemployment rate in Illinois has met the 9.0% trigger threshold to trigger "on" in Tier 4 of EUC08. This triggers Illinois "on" Tier 4 of the EUC08 program. The week beginning April 14, 2013, will be the first week in which EUC08 claimants in Illinois who have exhausted Tier 3, and are otherwise eligible, can establish Tier 4 eligibility."

      I found that here:

      Unemployment Weekly: Changes in State Eligibility

      Delete
    3. Thank you! Thanks so much keeping us all up to date and posting all this info. Love your site!

      Delete
    4. You're welcome, Ally. I appreciate your note!

      Weeks of availability for six states (Illinois, Delaware, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, and Alabama) have changed.. I put up a quick post with all of those changes listed.

      People looking for information on April updates can find them below:

      Changes in eligibility for unemployment benefits as of April 19th

      Delete
  15. middle molly my regular hrs will be cut in half soon due to a large cut back. how many weeks of unemployment will I get while working part time in PA

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Anonymous...I tried to find an answer for you.. It appears you can collect something if you have been cut down to part-time due to no fault of your own, but I couldn't find anything about the number of weeks you can collect.

      I did find these links, but it is unclear if you will be eligible for anything past the first 26 weeks. I believe you will have to contact the Pennsylvania unemployment people to see if they have the answer to your question.

      Can I work part-time and receive benefits in Pennsylvania?

      Part-time benefits in Pennsylvania

      Delete
  16. I lost my job of 21 years in March of this year. I have the misfortune of living in Illinois but worked in Missouri. The benefit amount is about half as are the amount of weeks to receive them. I am 56 years old and have been looking literally everyday since my job loss. It's not looking good. I have noticed too that a lot of online applications ask for your last salary. Since I had worked there 21 years and received raises every year I had a very good salary. No one wants to come close to that. When (if) I do get a job, I know I can expect to make half if not less. It's depressing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous, I'm very sorry for the situation that you are in.. It's tough. I'm in Chicago, and, while all of the young people that I know (mostly recent college graduates) now have jobs, most of the people that I know who are older and lost their jobs are struggling in various ways. Some have working spouses and/or were able to stash away substantial amounts of money over the years; many have aged into Social Security or early SS since things came crashing down 5 years ago. This is the first time in my life (since I was a kid) that I'm glad I'm a bit older. I think people in their 50's/perhaps upper 40's like you are having the hardest time: They aren't anywhere close to being ready to retire; many still have kids at home, they own homes so they can't pick up and move...and they are having a very hard time finding work for any decent salary.

      You are right; because Missouri has a lower unemployment rate than Illinois, people unemployed who worked in Missouri get less benefits than those who worked in Illinois.

      I don't know exactly where you are or how far you are able/willing to drive, but in downstate Illinois, Springfield and Champaign/Urbana areas have the lowest unemployment rates. I don't have any good ideas for you; the job situation for people who are older is still really difficult.


      Delete
    2. Thanks for your feedback. I live in Illinois approx. 12 miles east of St. Louis. Naturally, all the good jobs are in St. Louis. And you are correct in that my husband does work and is able to put me on his health insurance. That's huge! But our income is literally cut in half. So according to your chart I will receive benefits a total of 41 weeks? Is that including Federal?

      Delete
    3. Sorry, I didn't see your reply earlier.. Yes, the 41 weeks includes the Federal EUC benefits (The "tiers".) And that's it. How are you doing? Any luck so far? I do know people who have worked temp jobs that have turned into something permanent, but there are no guarantees, of course.

      Delete
  17. This is very informative, thanks. I just finished Tier 4 in Illinois, so just to be very sure, I will not get extended benefits (13 weeks/20 weeks). I have read that the federal government will fund EB 100%, this is so confusing, still unemployed with a great possibility in the works and need benefits a little longer. Could states trigger back on voluntarily with EB?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My husband was receiving Extended Benefits in Illinois last year, about 14 months ago, when EB stopped due to Illinois not having a high enough unemployment rate to trigger back on to EB. He got about 10 weeks of EB and then that was that.

      EB is controlled by a somewhat complex formula established by the feds that involves a 3 year "look back" period. Illinois cannot do anything about this portion of the law, so it is unlikely that Illinois will trigger back on to EB. EUC and EB are funded by the federal government, as far as I know, but they also make up the laws under which states can gain access to these programs.

      Delete
  18. why can't I get tier 4 euc

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What state are you in?

      The only states now that have an unemployment rate over 9% and offer Tier 4 (an extra 10 weeks) of unemployment compensation are California, Illinois, Nevada, Rhode Island and the territory of Puerto Rico.

      While North Carolina has an unemployment rate of 9%, it no longer qualifies for EUC because its regular state unemployment benefits are too stingy, and the feds will only give EUC to states that comply with its guidelines. The North Carolina state legislature, dominated by Republicans, has decided not to comply with federal guidelines and therefore, tens of thousands of North Carolina citizens who are trying to find work are being cut off from benefits.

      I hope you are not in North Carolina.

      Delete
  19. Hi Molly!

    I am on a manual reach back to recover some remaining EUC from a 11/2012-11/2012 claim to be applied to a new 2013 EUC claim. Before they can set me up for the current year, they have to exhaust the previous years Federal funding, if I am in that part of the program for benefits. I was told it was being reduced by 18.2% for Colorado. The question I have is, why are they reducing a previous years funds for EUC from a manual reach back before the budget cuts legislation took place in 2013?? They already received the funds and they are simply exhausting them. How can they go back and penalize me for a new law even exist when they received the funds they are giving me?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree that this doesn't make any sense, as you are going to get some compensation on an old claim. But there are some very strange rules with unemployment compensation; unfortunately, it sounds as if you are getting caught in those rules. I'm not sure, however, that they have actually received those EUC funds that you earned last year.

      After they use up the old weeks, will you start with a fresh slate of regular state weeks? Or will you go directly to EUC?

      I'll poke around and see if I can find an explanation in the morning.

      Thanks for dropping by.

      Delete
  20. My husband was laid off in December. He just received his last unemployment benefit (26 weeks) at the end of June. He called to inquire about the Emergency Unemployment Compensation and was told that he didn't qualify because a formula they use to calculate benefits (quarter 2 multiplied by a number added to another number from the next quarter) wasn't high enough to qualify. So confusing! We have not received any information in the mail regarding this nor could I find anything about a formula after an exhaustive search. We live in Illinois with one of the highest unemployment rates how can he not qualify? What information do you have about a formula? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Anonymous...

      I do know that not all people who get regular state unemployment benefits automatically qualify for EUC Benefits. Was your husband laid off from a temporary or a part-time job? Most people who were working full-time qualify for EUC, but many people working only part-time or a temp job won't qualify.

      I looked around to see if I could find any specifics, but I could not. If you did not understand or were not satisfied with the answer you got from IDES, you may want to call them back... Another person on the help line might be able to give you better or more clear information... Or you may want to take a trip to your local IDES office and talk to someone in person.

      I'm sorry that you are struggling with this.

      Delete
  21. I live in SC and have almost used up Tier III of EUC. I lost my job of 6 years nearly a year ago and have not been able to find anything, despite the fact that I have a Bachelor's in Business and am working on a Master's in Accounting. I feel like all of this schooling, not to mention the cost of going, is getting me no where. But my question is, will I be done with getting any kind of unemployment once I have used all of Tier III? I read a little on EB. Is that available? If I do not find a job within the next few weeks, I do not know what I will do. I am a single mother of two children and have no one who is in the position to help me financially.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. First of all, I'm sorry that I didn't get back to you sooner. Sometimes I don't see questions and comments for a week or two.

      From what I can gather, South Carolina does offer Tier 3 EUC, as you mentioned, but no Tier 4 EUC. EB is no longer available anywhere; it was phased out over the past year. Also, people who get unemployment in South Carolina now only have 20 initial weeks of regular state unemployment, thanks to Republicans running the state down there. Most states still have 26 weeks of regular state unemployment.

      If you have used up all of your weeks of unemployment and still haven't found a job, I would suggest you go to the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and find out if you are eligible for any kind of welfare program or at least food stamps. Here's the link:

      South Carolina Health and Human Services

      Good luck to you. Last year, we also faced the end of unemployment benefits with no jobs and very depleted assets. It's a very miserable condition to be in.

      Delete
  22. Is Tier 4 still in avilabe in Illinois?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes. New state unemployment rates will be announced next week. Illinois' unemployment rate would have to drop to approximately 8.7% for Tier 4 to go away in Illinois. IF that happened, it would take effect in October, and people who were able to move to Tier 4 before that time would get all of the Tier 4 weeks.

      Delete
  23. Do you know how the "weeks" are calculated? I filed for unemployment on the actual day I lost my job (March 21, 2013) I did not received a payment until 4 weeks later due to 1st week being waiting week and the other 3 for having earned too much from my termination paycheck which included unpaid vacation and other monies.. Should I start counting weeks when first paid, or when first filed? Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You would have to check with your state unemployment office to be certain, but I believe that the "weeks" means the number of weeks that you actually were paid.

      Delete

I appreciate intelligent comments and questions, including those that are at odds with anything posted here. I have elected not to screen comments before they are published; however, any comments that are in any way insulting, caustic, or intentionally inflammatory will be deleted without notice. Spam will also be immediately deleted.