Extended Unemployment Benefits

Michigan Unemployment Benefit Expiration

Michigan State agencies prepare to send out unemployment benefit expiration letters next week

The federal extension of unemployment benefits is set to expire at the end of February, although it is likely to be extended by Congress later this month. State agencies are going to start sending out letters next week letting people know that their unemployment benefits are about to expire. While the Senate takes a break next week, the federal extension of unemployment insurance and COBRA health insurance subsidies for laid-off workers is set to expire the end of this month.

Congress will probably pass an extension before Feb. 28, some people will nevertheless receive letters telling them they’re not eligible for the next "tier" of benefits.  Please keep an eye on the news to see if it is going to be passed.  Now is a good time to contact your state representatives, and ask them to help pass this bill..

US Senators and Representatives from Michigan

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United States Senate

Deborah Stabenow
E-Mail Senator Stabenow

Carl Levin
E-Mail Senator Levin

United States House of Representatives

Michigan 1st
Bart Stupak (D)
stupak@mail.house.gov

Michigan 2nd
Peter Hoekstra (R)
E-Mail Congressman Hoekstra

Michigan 3rd
Vernon Elhers (R)
www.house.gov/writerep

Michigan 4th
Dave Camp (R)
E-Mail Congressman Camp

Michigan 5th
Dale Kildee (D)
E-Mail Services

Michigan 6th
Fred Upton (R)
E-Mail Congressman Upton

Michigan 7th
Joe Schwarz (R)
Email Form

Michigan 8th
Mike Rogers (R)
http://www.mikerogers.house.gov/Contact.aspx

Michigan 9th
Joe Knollenberg (D)
E-Mail Congressman Knollenberg

Michigan 10th
Candice S. Miller (D)
www.house.gov/writerep

Michigan 11th
Thaddeus G. McCotter (R)
E-Mail Congressman McCotter

Michigan 12th
Sander Levin (D)
slevin@mail.house.gov

Michigan 13th
Carolyn Kilpatrick (D)
www.house.gov/writerep/

Michigan 14th
John Conyers, Jr. (D)
www.house.gov/writerep

Michigan 15th
John D. Dingell (D)
E-Mail Congressman Dingell

Last year’s stimulus bill provided up to 53 additional weeks of federally-funded unemployment benefits (broken into several tiers) and a 65 percent subsidy of COBRA health insurance.  If allowed to expire at the end of the month, nearly 62,000 out-of-work Michiganders will exhaust their unemployment benefits in March, according to the National Employment Law Project.

Michigan EUC December Updates

NEW Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) Extensions
November 2009 (Revised 11/16/09)

Two new EUC extensions were passed by Congress and signed by the President on Friday, November 6, 2009. In summary, the new law:
• Adds up to 1 additional week to EUC Tier II (total of 14 weeks);
• Creates an EUC Tier III for an additional up to 13 weeks of benefits; and
• Creates an EUC Tier IV for high unemployment states, such as Michigan, for an additional up to 6 weeks.

Who is Eligible, How Will They Be Notified, and What Needs To Be Done?
• Those who exhaust their Extended Benefits (EB) in 2009 may qualify.
• 70,000-80,000 unemployed workers who have exhausted all unemployment benefits may qualify.
• Payments will be made retroactive to the new EUC extension’s effective date of November 8, 2009.
• If you have exhausted all benefits:
• UIA will begin mailing informational letters, complete with instructions and predeterminations, on or about Wednesday, November 18, 2009.
• Begin contacting MARVIN (telephone or online) during the week of November 23rd (Thanksgiving week) to claim the up to 1 additional week from Tier II.
• Contact MARVIN during the week of December 6, 2009, to certify for three weeks of Tier III (the up to 13 weeks tier).
• If you are currently collecting state unemployment, EUC Tier I, Tier II, or Extended Benefits (EB):
• Continue to report using MARVIN.
• UIA will mail redeterminations to those on Tier II and EB, by November 21st,2009.

Important Notes:
• EUC Tiers I–IV have expiration dates. As of now, all EUC benefits (Tiers I-IV) are due to expire 12-31-2009. If you are already collecting EUC benefits that week, you may continue collecting the weeks for which you are entitled. You will be unable to begin the next EUC tier after that week – the week of expiration. Note that the popular media is reporting the possibility that Congress may extend the expiration dates yet this year. You may apply for EB, if the EB extension program is still available.

Current Unemployment Programs:
• State regular unemployment provides up to 26 weeks of benefits, based on a worker’s earnings prior to becoming unemployed.
• EUC Tier I began in July 2008 and provides an unemployed worker with up to 20 weeks of federally funded unemployment benefits, once they exhaust their state benefits. EUC Tier I = 80% of a person’s state unemployment benefits, up to 20 weeks.
• EUC Tier II began in November 2008 and provides up to 13 weeks of federally funded benefits after a person exhausts EUC Tier I. Tier II = 50% of a person’s state unemployment benefits, up to 13 weeks. Effective November 8, 2009, Tier II now provides for up to 54% of a person’s state unemployment benefits, up to 14 weeks. Benefit payments for EUC Tier II will range from $48 to one full week of $387.
• EUC Tier III is effective November 8, 2009 and provides up to 13 weeks of federally funded EUC benefits after a person exhausts EUC Tier II. Tier III = 50% of a person’s state unemployment benefits, up to 13 weeks.
• EUC Tier IV is also effective November 8, 2009 and provides up to 6 weeks of federally funded EUC benefits after a person exhausts Tier III. Tier IV = 24% of a person’s state unemployment benefits, up to 6 weeks. Tier IV is payable in Michigan because Michigan is a high unemployment state.
• Extended Benefits (EB) began in January 2009 and provides up to 20 weeks of federally funded benefits after a person exhausts EUC Tier III. EB = 80% of a person’s state unemployment benefits, up to 20 weeks. Absent Congressional action, the 20 week EB program will be reduced to 13 weeks for new EB claims established in 2010. UIA will update information about the EUC and EB extensions on this website.

taken from http://www.michigan.gov/uia.. please go there for any claim questions