Q: What extensions of unemployment insurance benefits are currently available?
A: Currently, there are sixty-seven(67) weeks of additional benefits available for individuals who exhaust their 26 weeks of regular benefits. They are broken down as follows:
Forty-seven(47) weeks of additional benefits are known as Emergency Benefits, since they are provided under the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program.
20 weeks of additional benefits are known as Extended Benefits, since they are provided under the Extended Benefits Program
These 67 weeks of additional benefits may be claimed in the usual manner, by logging in on theBenefits Online Pageand clicking on "Claim Weekly Benefits," or calling our toll-free Tel-Service number.
Q: Who is eligible for the unemployment insurance extensions?
A:
In addition to meeting the deadlines in the question below, you must meet the following basic eligibility requirements:
Have no rights to regular or extended compensation under any other state or Federal law.
Meet basic state eligibility requirements such as being ready, willing and able to work. However, special work search requirements apply to individuals claiming the 20 weeks of Extended Benefits. See “ What are the work search requirements for the 20 weeks of Extended Benefits?”below.
Note: If you are attending training approved by the New York State Department of Labor, you are not required to look for work while claiming benefits.
Individuals who are currently employed should not quit a job to file for unemployment insurance extensions. Quittingtocollect thesebenefits will result in disqualification.
Q: What are the deadlines and last payable weeks for the extensions?
A: See below for deadlines under current Federal legislation:
Emergency Benefits
There are three tiers of Emergency Benefits (Tier 1 = 20 weeks; Tier 2 =14 weeks; Tier 3 =13 weeks)
To receive any benefits under Tier 1, you must exhaust all 26 weeks of regular benefits on or before the week ending December 27, 2009, and start claiming Emergency Benefits on or before the week ending January 3, 2010.
Note: This means that you must have filed your initial claim for regular unemployment benefits effective on or before Monday, June 22, 2009.
To receive any benefits under Tier 2 (14 weeks) you must exhaust all 20 weeks of Tier 1 on or before the week ending December 27, 2009, and start claiming Tier 2 Emergency Benefits on or before the week ending January 3, 2010.
Note: This means that you must have filed your initial claim for regular unemployment benefits effective on or before Monday, February 2, 2009.
To receive any Emergency Benefits underTier 3(13 weeks), you must exhaust at least 33 weeks of Emergency Benefits (20 weeks Tier 1 and the first 13 weeks of Tier 2) on or before week ending December 27, 2009.
Note: This means that you must have filed your initial claim for regular unemployment benefits effective on or before Monday, November 3, 2008.
Because of timeliness under the current federal legislation, some individuals start receiving Tier 3 Emergency Benefits right after exhausting Extended Benefits. The reason for this is:
If you claimed at least one week of Extended Benefits by week ending November 8, 2009, you will continue claiming remaining Extended Benefits before you can start claiming additional Emergency Benefits.
If by week ending November 8, 2009, you had not claimed any Extended Benefits, you will then continue claiming any additional Emergency Benefits available to you, and will not be eligible for Extended Benefits.
The last payable week for which Emergency Benefits can be paid is the week ending June 6, 2010.
Example 1
Claimant’s last day of work was July 9, 2009. He files a new claim effective on Monday, July 13, 2009, and exhausts his 26 weeks of regular benefits on the week ending Sunday, January 17, 2010. He is not eligible for any Emergency Benefits, since he did not exhaust regular benefits by the deadline of week ending December 27, 2009.
Example 2
Claimant’s last day of work was Friday, June 19, 2009. She files a new claim effective Monday, June 22, 2009, and exhausts her 26 weeks of regular benefits on the week ending December 27, 2009. She starts claiming Emergency Benefits on the week ending January 3, 2010. Claimant is eligible for Tier 1 Emergency Benefits (20 weeks) since she exhausted regular benefits on or before the week ending December 27, 2009, and started claiming Emergency Benefits on or before the week ending January 3, 2010. However, she is not eligible for Tier 2 Emergency Benefits (14 weeks), since it is not possible to exhaust the 20 weeks of Tier 1 Benefits by the deadline of week ending December 27, 2009.
Example 3
Claimant’s last day of work was Friday, December 5, 2008. He files a new claim effective Monday, December 8, 2008. He exhausts his 26 weeks of regular benefits on the week ending June 14, 2009 and 20 weeks of Tier 1 Emergency Benefits on the week ending November 1, 2009. Claimant is eligible for Tier 2 Emergency Benefits (14 weeks), since he exhausted his Tier 1 Emergency Benefits before the December 27, 2009 deadline. However, he will not be eligible for the Tier 3 benefits (13 weeks), since it is not possible to exhaust a total of 33 weeks of emergency benefits by the deadline of week ending December 27, 2009.
Example 4
Claimant’s last day of work was September 26, 2008. She files a new claim effective Monday, September 29, 2008. She exhausts her 26 weeks of regular benefits on the week ending Sunday, April 5, 2009, and 33 weeks of Emergency Benefits on the week ending Sunday, November 22, 2009. She is eligible for Tier 3 Emergency Benefits (13 weeks) since she exhausted at least 33 weeks of Emergency Benefits before the December 27, 2009 deadline.
Extended Benefits
There are 20 weeks of Extended Benefits available. To receive any Extended Benefits:
You must exhaust all 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits and at least 33 weeks of Emergency Benefits on or before week ending November 1, 2009 and start claiming Extended Benefits on or before week ending November 8, 2009.
The last payable week for which Extended Benefits can be paid is the week ending January 3, 2010.
Note: This means you must have filed your initial claim for regular unemployment benefits effective on or before September 8, 2008.
Example 1
Claimant’s last day of work was September 12, 2008. He files a new claim effective Monday, September 15, 2008. He exhausts his 26 weeks of regular benefits on the week ending March 22, 2009, and 33 weeks of Emergency Benefits on the week ending November 8, 2009. Claimant is not eligible for Extended Benefits since he did not exhaust at least 33 weeks of Emergency Benefits by the November 1, 2009 deadline. However, he is eligible for a 14th week of Tier 2 emergency benefits and for Tier 3 (13 weeks) emergency benefits, since he exhausted 33 weeks of emergency benefits before the December 27, 2009 deadline.
Example 2
Claimant’s last day of work was Thursday, June 12, 2008. She files a new claim effective on Monday, June 16, 2008. She exhausts her 26 weeks of regular benefits on the week ending December 21, 2008, and 33 weeks of Emergency Benefits on August 9, 2009. Claimant is eligible for 20 weeks of Extended Benefits, since she exhausted at least 33 weeks of Emergency Benefits before the November 1, 2009 deadline. Upon exhausting Extended Benefits on December 27, 2009, she is also eligible for a 14th week of Tier 2 emergency benefits and for Tier 3 (13 weeks) emergency benefits, since she exhausted at least 33 weeks of Emergency Benefits before the December 27, 2009 deadline.
Example 3
Claimant’s last day of work was Friday,August 21, 2008. He files a new claim effective on Monday, August 25, 2008. He exhausts his 26 weeks of regular benefits on the week ending March 1, 2009 and 33 weeks of Emergency Benefits on the week ending October 18, 2009. Claimant is eligible for Extended Benefits since he exhausted 33 weeks of Emergency Benefits prior to the November 1, 2009 deadline. However, he can only collect 11 weeks of extended benefits since the last payable week of extended benefits is the week ending January 3, 2009. At this point he is eligible for a 14th week of Tier 2 emergency benefits and for Tier 3 (13 weeks) benefits since he exhausted at least 33 weeks of Emergency Benefits by the December 27, 2009 deadline.
Q: How do I claim weekly benefits under the extensions?
A:
You can claim the additional weeks of unemployment benefits in the usual manner, by logging in on theBenefits Online Pageand clicking on “Claim Weekly Benefits,” or calling our toll-free Tel-Service number.
Q: If I reside outside of New York State, but have a claim with New York State, will I be eligible for Extended Benefits?
A:
If you reside in a state that currently offers Extended Benefits, you are eligible for the full 13 weeks of Extended Benefits. As of 11/15/09, these states include: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Dist. Of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina,Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin. If you reside in a state that does not currently offer Extended Benefits, you will only be eligible to receive 2 weeks of Extended Benefits. As of 11/15/09, these states include: *Arkansas, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, *Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, Virgin Islands, Wyoming.
*Extended Benefits recently ended in these states. Therefore, if you have already received two or more weeks of Extended Benefits, no further Extended Benefits will be payable or available to you.
Q: What are the work search requirements for the 20 weeks of Extended Benefits?
A:
The following work search requirements apply to individuals claiming the 20 weeks of Extended Benefits.
Note: If you are attending training approved by the New York State Department of Labor, you are not required to look for work while claiming benefits. You must actively search for and be prepared to accept suitable work. Suitable work includes:
any work for which you are reasonably fitted by training and experience
anywork you are capable of doing, whether or not you have any training or experience in that particular field, if it pays at least 80% of your high quarter base period wages. You may not restrict your work search based on your customary occupation, previous pay rate, or previous training or job skills.
In addition, suitable work must also:
pay the prevailing wage for such work in your area
equal or exceed applicable minimum wage
be free of labor disputes
not require you to join or leave a union
belocated within a reasonable travel distance. Generally, travel of one hour by private transportation or one and one half hours bypublictransportation is considered reasonable.
You must apply to or contact at least two (2) prospective employers each week
You must also keep a record of your work search that includes, at minimum, the following information:
You must mail the completed work search records, on the last Sunday of any month in which you claim Extended Benefits, to the NYS Department of Labor at PO Box 15121, Albany NY 12212-5121.
If you fail to search for work during a particular week for any reason, you should not claim benefits for that week. Otherwise, you may be disqualified from receiving benefits until you have worked for four (4) weeks and earned four (4) times your weekly benefit amount.
Q: What if I am attending training approved by the New York State Department of Labor?
A:
If you are attending training approved by the New York State Department of Labor, you may be eligible to receive additional weeks of unemployment benefits under the extensions, and you are not required to look for work. However, if you are on a break from school of more than 5 weeks, you will be required to be available for work and to actively search for work.
Q: How are unemployment benefits paid under the extensions?
A:
The Department of Labor now pays benefits either by Direct Deposit (into your personal checking account) or on a Direct Payment Card (debit card) account. Additional weeks of benefits under the extensions will be paid using the same method as your previous claim.
Q: Why didn’t I receive my full benefit rate the week before I started receiving my 20 weeks of Extended Benefits?
A:
Before you can be paid Extended Benefits, you must have received all the Emergency Benefits you are entitled to receive. In many cases, your remaining balance of Emergency benefits will not be the full amount of your weekly rate. You cannot receive Emergency benefits and Extended benefits in the same week.
Q: What if my on-line benefit payment history shows “0” under Remaining Balance?
A:
If you are eligible for additional benefits under a new extension program, the remaining balance amount will be adjusted the next time you claim benefits. You do not have to file a new unemployment claim, unless the system advises you to.
