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Florida Unemployment Benefits Extension – 20 More Weeks

Update – Feb 7, 2011 – Legislation to add extra weeks for 99ers

Democratic Reps. Barbara Lee (Calif.) and Bobby Scott (Va.) are reintroducing legislation this week to provide additional weeks of unemployment insurance benefits for “99ers,”

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In 2009, the 2009 stimulus package was created by President Obama and provided extra funding for states to extend the length of unemployment benefits if necessary.  Most states have a fixed number of weeks available for benefits but can increase the number of weeks if necessary.  The Florida unemployment rate in April was 9.6%.

The state of Florida recently approved an extension of the unemployment benefits by 20 weeks as a result of Senate Bill 810 sponsored by Sen. Rudy Garcia, R-Miami and Rep. Dave Murzin, R-Pensacola.  This applies to unemployed persons who have already used up the previous maximum of 59 weeks of unemployment benefits.  The legislation allowing this EB extension was signed by Governor Charlie Crist and will provide more benefits for up to 250,000 unemployed Floridians.  The payments will be up to $300 per week.

The money to pay for these extended benefits will come from the stimulus package of 2009 – about $415 million in total.

The agency responsible for these benefits is called the Agency for Workforce Innovation – they expect to start sending out the extended benefit checks in July.  According to a spokesman from the agency Robby Cunningham – some people might be able to collect benefits retroactive to February of 2009.

“It’s actually retroactive to February 22nd of this year so some qualifying receiptence could receive initial payments up to 5,100 dollars.”

Please note that any retroactive payments will be from February 22, 2009 or when your last claim ran out – whichever is later.

How to apply for extended benefits

If you qualify for the extended 20 weeks then you still have to apply – go to www.floridajobs.com and click on the big red “Extended Benefits” square near the top of the right side of the screen.  The actual link which will open up the application form is here.  You can also fill in and mail the EB application to the address indicated on the EB notice/application you will be receiving in the mail.

How do I know if I’m eligible?

Here are a few guidelines you can use to determine eligibility:

  • You are totally or partially unemployed.
  • You exhaust all entitlement to regular and emergency unemployment compensation (EUC) benefits prior to February 22, 2009 but your benefit year ends after February 22, 2009.
  • You exhaust all entitlement to regular and emergency unemployment compensation benefits after February 22, 2009.
  • You are not eligible for unemployment compensation benefits in any state (including Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, The District of Columbia) or Canada.
  • You satisfy all requirements of the Florida UC Law that apply to regular UC and EB, such as being able and available for work, and have not been disqualified from receiving benefits based on your reason for separation.
  • You actively seek work for each EB week claimed and provide the work search record as instructed.
  • You do not refuse an offer of suitable work or fail to apply for suitable work.

 

698 replies on “Florida Unemployment Benefits Extension – 20 More Weeks”

Just saw on another site that HR 589 IS the legislation to PAY for the UI benefits HR 4635. We know the procedure with these pieces of legislation i.e. over the House,Ways and Means Committee. Lets see the Republicans slither out of this one.. Unbelievable that the 99ers have to jump through hoops like this but I guess its because they have no fancy,dancy Washington address, the unemployed are just regular folks asking and pleating for help AND employment in the jobless economy! You can view it at http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h589/show and enter in the search box HR 589: — Sponsor

Representative

Barbara Lee
D-CA

View Co-Sponsors (47)Hide Co-Sponsors
Rep. Joe Baca [D, CA-43]Rep. Karen Bass [D, CA-33]Rep. Robert Brady [D, PA-1]Rep. Corrine Brown [D, FL-3]Rep. André Carson [D, IN-7]Rep. Yvette Clarke [D, NY-11]Rep. Emanuel Cleaver [D, MO-5]Rep. Steve Cohen [D, TN-9]Rep. Elijah Cummings [D, MD-7]Rep. Danny Davis [D, IL-7]Rep. Donna Edwards [D, MD-4]Rep. Keith Ellison [D, MN-5]Rep. Chaka Fattah [D, PA-2]Rep. Bob Filner [D, CA-51]Rep. Marcia Fudge [D, OH-11]Rep. Al Green [D, TX-9]Rep. Raul Grijalva [D, AZ-7]Rep. Alcee Hastings [D, FL-23]Rep. Maurice Hinchey [D, NY-22]Rep. Mazie Hirono [D, HI-2]Rep. Michael Honda [D, CA-15]Rep. Jesse Jackson [D, IL-2]Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee [D, TX-18]Rep. Eddie Johnson [D, TX-30]Rep. Henry Johnson [D, GA-4]Rep. Marcy Kaptur [D, OH-9]Rep. John Lewis [D, GA-5]Rep. David Loebsack [D, IA-2]Rep. Carolyn Maloney [D, NY-14]Rep. Gregory Meeks [D, NY-6]Rep. George Miller [D, CA-7]Rep. Gwen Moore [D, WI-4]Rep. Jerrold Nadler [D, NY-8]Rep. Grace Napolitano [D, CA-38]Del. Eleanor Norton [D, DC-0]Rep. Donald Payne [D, NJ-10]Rep. Charles Rangel [D, NY-15]Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard [D, CA-34]Rep. Bobby Rush [D, IL-1]Rep. Janice Schakowsky [D, IL-9]Rep. Robert Scott [D, VA-3]Rep. José Serrano [D, NY-16]Rep. Fortney Stark [D, CA-13]Rep. Bennie Thompson [D, MS-2]Rep. Edolphus Towns [D, NY-10]Rep. Maxine Waters [D, CA-35]Rep. Lynn Woolsey [D, CA-6]Committees
House Ways and Means

Introduced
House
Passes
Senate
Passes
President
Signs

02/09/11

Latest Action
Feb 09, 2011 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means
Users Tracking H.R.589 (9)

PART 2: Help The 99ers: H. R. 589
H.R.589 (text – PDF) Latest Title: To amend title IV of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 to provide for additional weeks of first-tier emergency unemployment compensation, and for other purposes. …
Source: Help The 99ers — http://www.helpthe99ers.blogspot.com

So if a bill passes to grant 99ers a few more weeks, can 99ers still claim those weeks if they already found a job?

I went over 4 months after I used all my benefits before find a part time job for 20hrs a week. I could really use those 14 weeks to pay off some debt.

Ryan,
I’m not 100% sure,but if your marginally employed at 20 hrs a week and depending on what that 20 hrs generates in revenue,you could possibly be eligible for some monies. Don’t start celebrating yet,I haven’t been in your situation so I’m sure my answer is correct. I bet on this board there is someone that has worked part time and will chime in.

Getting this bill passed is going to be tough and will need all the support it can get. At last count(on another site) there were 60 congressional sponsors for this bill,however,none were republicans. I urge all here to write to your congressional representatives and urge them to get behind this bill. If your local rep. is a republican hammer them hard. There is no way this will pass the house without republican support. 14 weeks isn’t allot,but what a moral boost it could generate,especially to the many long,long,term unemployed. Write your representatives today and please ask for there support on this important piece of legislation.

Ryan,
I’m not 100% sure,but if your marginally employed at 20 hrs a week and depending on what that 20 hrs generates in revenue,you could possibly be eligible for some monies. Don’t start celebrating yet,I haven’t been in your situation so I’m not sure my answer is correct. I bet on this board, there is someone that has worked part time and will chime in.

Getting this bill passed is going to be tough and will need all the support it can get. At last count(on another site) there were 60 congressional sponsors for this bill,however,none were republicans. I urge all here to write to your congressional representatives and urge them to get behind this bill. If your local rep. is a republican hammer them hard. There is no way this will pass the house without republican support. 14 weeks isn’t allot,but what a moral boost it could generate,especially to the many long,long,term unemployed. Write your representatives today and please ask for there support on this important piece of legislation.

In the week ending Feb. 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 410,000, an increase of 25,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 385,000. The 4-week moving average was 417,750, an increase of 1,750 from the previous week’s revised average of 416,000.

Home depot is hiring a ton of employees all over the US. They are gearing up for Spring planting.

Tom call 211 . they just called me and asked for a rescreening . they helped 2009 with 3 months rent. I think maybe funding came in or something because they were offering to help again . Its a short rescreening and a number to call. Since I have been living with friends I took their offer of reopening our case.

Mark:

The fact that over 1,000 people lined up to apply for what may be 50 jobs at Red Lobster is indicative of what the REAL unemployment rate is. I’d wager it’s 25%, perhaps a little higher in Florida.

This is an unprecedented crisis that the government is attempting to cover up as usual. Regardless of the party in power, it’s business as usual on the Hill obviously.

The only options for anyone who’s a 99’er is to take a minimum wage job, get all the benefits available out there such as food stamps, etc., and pretty much say goodbye to assets, as I don’t think we’ll ever re-create the jobs that have been lost.

If you are up in years, it’s a double whammy. The young are preferred over to anyone 40 and above. That’s the way it is. It’s really always been that way but there were never 1,000 applicants for 50 jobs either during any of our lifetimes.

No this is definitely a crisis which will take many years to climb out of if that’s even possible. In the meantime many millions will and have lost everything and are being forgotten/forsaken.

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. The unfortunate’s who will never work again are “the few”, though their numbers are in the millions.

Joe

Heyyyyyyyyyy everyone decided to come and say hello I’m still around holding on still looking for work and have been un-successful so I decided to enroll into school and march is my last month yayyyyyyyyyyyy hope everyone is staying productive and positive hey Mark I see you are still here hope all is well with you everyone have a wonderful praying for better days for the 99ers….

In the week ending Feb. 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 368,000, a decrease of 20,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 388,000. The 4-week moving average was 388,500, a decrease of 12,750 from the previous week’s revised average of 401,250.

Topic: Filing tax returns. I reported what we got for tier 4 this past year. I can’t believe they are taxing us on that!.. I thought there was a new bill that said the money last year was not to be taxed?

Good Morning All!

Joe – I agree…things are still screwed up. It will take years if ever to recover the jobs that were lost. I saw that line for the Red Lobster jobs…it’s just unreal that things have gotten so bad. Everyone has to stay creative & productive & take advantage of any job that may arise no matter how temporary it is or how little the money is.

Bre – Hi! Long time….Glad you are finishing up some schooling. It can never hurt to be more educated….Way to go!

Elissa – Good to see your post too! How are you? Unfortunately for tax year 2010, unemployment pay is taxed. It was only for tax year 2009 that the 1st $2400 was not taxed.

Smiles to all 🙂

how many tiers are there for fla. uneploment? my friend has only 88 weeks. He is thinking that he has only one more check left. Can someone answer me asap?

Hi I need help with this question. I was laid off from a temp job after 7 full weeks and made about $3500 this quarter but have not worked in 4 years so can i get unemployment?? This is what i got off of the unemployment site but do not understand it How is that determined?
Your weekly benefit amount is determined by the total wages paid to you by each of your employers during your “base” period. Your base period consists of the first four of the last five quarters (three-month periods) where you earned wages, going back from the time of your initial claim for benefits.
To be monetarily eligible for benefits, you must have been paid wages of at least $1,600 for insured work during your base period. Of this amount, at least $440 must have been paid to you outside of the base period quarter in which your wages were the highest. Effective for benefit years beginning on or after January 1, 2008, if you have not earned sufficient wages during the base period described above, we will try to establish your eligibility using a base period consisting of the last four completed quarters

Hi All!

Joe – COOL!!!! But I think I agree with Peachy……I really wouldn’t want them in my house! But they are Cool!

Chuck – I posted this info on the NY page. It looks like you may have the income requirements, but I think you have to have some “earned, taxable” income in TWO quarters. That way if you’re let go within the first 90 days, the employer doesn’t have to pay the unemployment…..and I think this is correct, but I’m not 100% sure & I don’t know if it applies to all states. I would just go ahead & try because it’s going to be what it’s going to be….you will either qualify or not. Hope that helps & I hope you qualify! (Joe – Do you know?)

Tina – tier 1 = 20 weeks
tier 2 = 14 weeks
tier 3 = 13 weeks
tier 4 = 6 weeks IF the 3-month unemployment rate is 8.5% or higher
EB = 20 weeks
Total = 99 weeks
This is the MAX amount of weeks. Note : Not everyone qualifies for the max weeks.

Good Morning All!

Generic letter I saw posted: Good idea to copy/paste: Dear —– ——-

I am writing you today as a long term unemployed American. In a time when unemployment is so high, when there is one job for every five job seekers, millions of Americans simply cannot be left behind. We are tax paying citizens that are responsible for each and every one of you still being employed. We deserve to be treated better than this. Your colleague Representative Conyers recently introduced H.R. 870, the Humphrey-Hawkins 21st Century Full Employment & Training Act. Combined with H.R. 589 to provide temporary financial relief for those who have exhausted benefits until H.R. 870 can be implemented it is simply the right thing to do, both for the economy and for millions of Americans unable to find work in it.

Respectfully,

An AMERICAN CITIZEN,

Insert name here

Saw this interesting post AND it could happen folks! After watching the ppl wake up these pass several weeks, it could happen. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Congressional Reform Act of 2011

1. Term Limits.

12 years only, one of the possible options below..

A. Two Six-year Senate terms
B. Six Two-year House terms
C. One Six-year Senate term and three Two-Year House terms

2. No Tenure / No Pension.

A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.

All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people.

4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

7. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

8. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12.

The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people in the U.S to receive the message. Maybe it is time.

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!! If you agree with the above, pass it on. If not, just delete

You are one of my 20+. Please keep it going.

In the week ending March 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 397,000, an increase of 26,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 371,000. The 4-week moving average was 392,250, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week’s revised average of 389,250.

Does anyone know of any programs that provide rental or utility assistance? I have called the 211 number but the charity they guided me to requires a change in financial status in the future to show that you will not be in the same situation next month so they would not assist my family due to the fact that we do not have a promise of a job starting soon.

Any news on a unemployment extension?

I cannot believe that my husband and I are unable to get any work let alone interviews from employers that would have given the job on the spot in our teenage years. Has anyone seen that it is best to not give potential employers your previous salary(or to lie if they ask) since the previous salary is at times 3x higher than the job you are applying to?

I also noticed that in many cases you need to play down previous jobs so as not to be given the over qualified line.

Hi All!

No not much news…

Yes I agree with Audrey…..need to dummy-down the resume based on what job you’re applying for & same for salary requirements. Say what they want to get the job…

We need as MANY as possible involved with this event! We need to get HR 589 passed ASAP! This will add 14 weeks of benefits to ALL UNEMPLOYED, this includes YOU!!! Please share this event with as many people as possible!
Call-In/Twitter event to House Leaders and members to PASS HR 589
Location: From Home or Where you’re at
Time: 9:00…AM Monday, March 28th……..PLEASE SUPPORT THE 99ERS

Can we speak up for Michigan even if we are Florida residents? I’m from there originally and have family that did/do work for the big 3. I put it on facebook so they can be aware.

Audrey – Yes you can speak up for Michigan. I did….I sent the email through the link above. If this passes in Michigan, all other states better watch out. Our wonderful Gov. is already trying to do the same in FL.

27 Mar 2011 5:46 PM CST
Audrey and Mark—Florida
I also sent the email via the link provided above. Best of wishes.
PS: I put the date and time above so people will know when the last entry has been made. It used to show up automatically whenever we do an entry; wonder why it doesn’t NOW?? Would help to know when an entry is made.
We need the 14 weeks extention. Lets all fax and call tomorrow! Do your duty and don’t wait and assume it will be done for you by others. Pass it on onto other sites.

Hi All! Here’s the email response I received from Rick Snyder (Governor of MI)

Thank you for contacting the Executive Office of the Governor regarding unemployment benefits in Michigan and HB 4408. I appreciate your time in writing and your willingness to participate in the democratic process.

Presently, job providers finance 100 percent of the costs of the unemployment program. HB 4408 will allow job providers to redirect their limited financial resources to potentially rehire those currently receiving assistance.

HB 4408 makes a practical change to the state’s unemployment insurance program. This change allows workers to remain eligible for extended benefits through the federal government. We had to move swiftly to ensure 150,000 Michiganders would not be affected at the end of this year. This practical change will help over 37,000 jobless workers keep benefits they would have lost starting April 2.

Reinventing Michigan demands that we break the bad habits of the past and embrace opportunities for our future. As your governor, I will continue to work tirelessly to help turn around Michigan’s economy. I will continue to fight to create more and better jobs so that we can hopefully reduce the need for unemployment in the first place.

Again, thank you for sharing your concerns with me on these important matters. Should you have any further comments or concerns regarding this or any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 517-335-7858.

Sincerely,
Rick Snyder
Governor

I wrote my Fl Rep do I need to do Mi, or anyone else?
I could use some HELP!

Hello Everyone!

Good Morning All!

Well it looks like our forum is fading away. I wish we all had another 20 weeks coming our way. Just wanted to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed chatting with all of you! I appreciate everybody’s support, encouragement, input, laughs and moos! Stay productive, creative, have fun & keep smiling always 🙂 Best wishes to all!!!

Monday April 11 6:30 am EST

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