We at Quatrini Rafferty have received a lot of questions regarding the extension of the Unemployment Compensation by the federal government. The following guidance was originally posted on the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry website:
On Dec. 19, 2009, the president signed into law new legislation to continue the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) and Federal Additional Compensation (FAC) programs and delay the phase out of the programs until the end of February, 2010. In addition, this legislation allows High Unemployment Period Extended Benefits (HUP EB) to continue through February, 2010. Generally, this new law will have the following impact on claimants currently filing for benefits.
On Dec. 19, 2009, the president signed into law new legislation to continue the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) and Federal Additional Compensation (FAC) programs and delay the phase out of the programs until the end of February, 2010. In addition, this legislation allows High Unemployment Period Extended Benefits (HUP EB) to continue through February, 2010. Generally, this new law will have the following impact on claimants currently filing for benefits.
Individuals who believe they qualify should simply continue filing their biweekly claims. Claimants will be contacted by the Department of Labor & Industry if any additional information is needed.
- Claimants filing for regular Unemployment Compensation (UC) benefits: If you exhaust your regular UC no later than the week ending February 20, 2010, you may be eligible for Tier 1 EUC. If you exhaust your regular UC benefits after February 20, 2010, you may qualify for regular state EB benefits, if PA remains in an EB Period at that time.
- Claimants filing for Tier 1 EUC benefits: If you exhaust your Tier 1 EUC benefits no later than the week ending February 27, 2010, you may qualify for Tier 2 EUC benefits. If you exhaust your Tier 1 EUC benefits after February 27, 2010, you may qualify for regular state EB benefits if PA remains in an EB Period at that time.
- Claimants filing for Tier 2 EUC benefits: If you exhaust the original amount of your Tier 2 EUC benefits, 13 or 8 weeks, no later than the week ending February 27, 2010, you may qualify for Tier 3 EUC benefits. If you exhaust the original amount of your Tier 2 benefits after the week ending February 27, 2010, you may qualify to receive your increased Tier 2 EUC benefits (.6 or 1 week), followed by regular state EB benefits, if PA remains in an EB Period at that time.
- Claimants filing for Tier 3 EUC benefits and increased Tier 2 EUC benefits: If you exhaust your Tier 3 EUC benefits AND your increased Tier 2 EUC benefits (.6 or 1 week) no later than the week ending February 27, 2010, you may qualify for Tier 4 EUC benefits. If you exhaust your Tier 3 and increased Tier 2 EUC after February 27, 2010, no additional EUC benefits will be available. However, you may qualify for regular EB benefits if PA remains in an EB period at that time and you did not previously receive EB.
- Claimant filing for Tier 4 EUC benefits: If you exhaust your Tier 4 EUC benefits, no additional EUC benefits are available for you. However, you may qualify for regular state EB benefits if PA remains in an EB Period at that time and you did not previously receive EB benefits.
- Claimants filing for regular EB benefits: If you exhaust your regular EB benefits no later than the week ending February 20, 2010, you may qualify to receive HUP EB benefits if PA remains in a HUP EB period at that time. However, the last week for which HUP EB may be paid is the week ending February 27, 2010. If you have not exhausted HUP EB when that program ends or you exhaust regular EB on or after February 27, 2010, you may qualify for Tier 3 EUC benefits.
- Claimants filing for HUP EB benefits: The last week for which HUP EB may be paid is the week ending February 27, 2010. If you exhaust your HUP EB benefits no later than the week ending February 27, 2010, or you have not exhausted these benefits when that program ends on February 27, 2010, you may qualify for Tier 3 EUC benefits.
The last payable week of EUC benefits is now the week ending July 31, 2010, and the last payable week of HUP EB benefits is the week ending February 27, 2010.
Important filing information: The requirement to file weekly paper claim forms applies only to regular and HUP EB. If you transition from regular EB or HUP EB to Tier 3 EUC, you will file your EUC claims through the Internet or the telephone claim system, PAT. If you transition from UC to Tier 1 EUC, or from one Tier of EUC to another, you will continue to file claims for benefits through the Internet or PAT.
Additional information regarding these programs and how the phase out of these programs will affect claimants will be added to this Web site as it becomes available.
If you have questions regarding the phase-out of EUC or the end of HUP EB, please call the Pennsylvania UC Service Center at 1-888-313-7284 from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
If you would like to discuss your eligibility for Pennsylvania Unemployment Compensation, contact James A. Horchak in our office at 1-888-288-9748 or www.qrlegal.com.
- Quatrini Rafferty -
If you would like to discuss your eligibility for Pennsylvania Unemployment Compensation, contact James A. Horchak in our office at 1-888-288-9748 or www.qrlegal.com.
- Quatrini Rafferty -
