President Obama has authorized yet another round of extended unemployment benefits, by signing the Worker, Homeownership and Business Assistance Act of 2009.
Among other things, the new Act grants extended unemployment benefits (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) for 14 additional weeks in all states, plus an extra 6 weeks in states with unemployment rates of at least 8.5 percent.
The unofficial word is that eligible unemployed workers in 27 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are entitled to the extra 6 weeks of extended unemployment benefits, for a total of 20. Since the recession began, Congress and two presidents have authorized up to 73 weeks of Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) per state.
To discover how many weeks of extended unemployment benefits are now available in your work state, see Total Weeks of Federal Jobless Benefits Available by State published by the National Employment Law Project, an advocacy group. Add 26 weeks of standard state unemployment benefits to calculate the total number of weeks that might be available to you, depending on your eligibility.
To become eligible for extended unemployment benefits, unemployed workers must first exhaust 26 weeks (or the equivalent) of standard state unemployment benefits. To become eligible for further extensions (such as this round), unemployed workers must first exhaust previously-authorized extended unemployment benefits. Other eligibility requirements apply.
If and when the time comes that you might be eligible for extended unemployment benefits or a further extension, then the state unemployment office is required to notify you. Even though notified, you will probably still have to confirm your eligibility by filing a claim. Your weekly compensation amount will be the same as it was for your standard benefits. Compensation varies by state and eligibility.
To file a claim, follow the instructions provided by the unemployment office. If you did not receive specific instructions, then contact the nearest state unemployment office or full-service One-Stop Career Center to file your claim, or file it electronically over the Internet. Most state unemployment office Web sites (linked above) have online facilities for filing claims over the Internet and many encourage the method.
This round of extended unemployment benefits is not likely to be immediately available in your work state, as it takes time for the U.S. Department of Labor to distribute the funds. If you’re anxious to know, keep an eye on the Web site of the state unemployment office or One-Stop Career Center for an announcement regarding “extended unemployment benefits” or “Emergency Unemployment Compensation”.
The Stimulus Act (economic stimulus law or Recovery Act) provides a 65 percent COBRA subsidy to help eligible unemployed workers continue their employer-provided group health insurance benefits. The Act also provides additional unemployment benefits of significance, including Emergency Unemployment Compensation through 2009 for unemployed workers who have yet to claim or exhaust extended unemployment benefits.
As for the “other things” mentioned above, the Worker, Homeownership and Business Assistance Act of 2009 also extends and expands the stimulus first-time homebuyer tax credit through April 30, 2010, and it provides tax relief for businesses by way of a net operating-loss carryback option. The business tax relief is to encourage hiring, so as to reduce the need for extended unemployment benefits in 2010.
The House of Representatives initially passed the Worker, Homeownership and Business Assistance Act of 2009 as the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009 (Bill H.R.3548), but the Senate modified and renamed it. Both the Senate and House then passed the renamed Act as an amendment to the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2008.
