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Kentucky Unemployment Benefits Extension – 20 More Weeks With H3548

Like most states, Kentucky has been hit hard by the financial meltdown of 2008 and subsequent economic slowdown and recession.  Many jobs have been lost and for some unlucky people – it will be a long road back to employment.  The national unemployment rate has been rising steadily over the last few years and has recently broken the 10% barrier and sites at 10.2%.

Kentucky, the “Bluegrass State” hasn’t been spared from the economic damage.  The most recent unemployment rate in Kentucky was 11.2% in October which was up 0.3% from 10.9% in September.  Among those unemployed are significant numbers of people who have been unemployed long enough to either exhaust their unemployment benefits or come close to exhausting them.

To counter the problem of long-term unemployed running out of benefits the federal government has funded several benefit extensions.  These are mainly funded as part of the economic stimulus package for 2009.

Bill H3548 has been passed and put into law – this will allow all states an extra 13 weeks of employment benefits as well as another 6 weeks if the unemployment rate is higher than 8.5%.  It also increases the Tier 2 EUC benefits from 13 weeks to 14 weeks.  In total – this bill will add 20 weeks of unemployent benefits for long-term unemployed people in Kentucky.

Here is the current benefits available in Kentucky:

  • EUC Tier 1 – 20 weeks  (7 weeks plus 13 weeks)
  • EUC tier 2 – 14 weeks (used to be 13)
  • EB  – 20 weeks
  • EUC tier 3 (new with bill H3548) 13 weeks or 19 weeks (if > 8.5%)

This adds up to a total of 99 weeks.

For information on how to extend your benefits then please visite your state unemployment website or office.  To be eligible you need to exhaust your benefits by the end of the year (2009).  Because the latest bill has increased tier 2 by 1 week this could affect your eligibility for the extension.  According to NELP (National Employment Law Project) there would have been around 1 million Americans who run out of benefits in January of 2010 and 3 million by March 2010.  Current benefits are in Kentucky are $440 per week.

Kentuckians and Hoosiers who have exhausted all 79 weeks of unemployment benefits or will do so by the end of the year are eligible for up to 20 more weeks.
The extended benefits pay 54 percent of the person’s original unemployment compensation for the first week, 50 percent for the next 13 weeks and 24 percent for the final six weeks.
Unless Congress acts, the federal extensions will phase out at the end of the year. Residents will continue receiving benefits for their current tier in 2010, but will not be able to move the next tier. There are four federal tiers, each lasting from six weeks to 20 weeks.

What to do – Kentucky
Those who may be eligible for the 20-week extension will receive letters from the state Office of Employment and Training with instructions on claiming the benefits. Residents will be able to file a claim in about two weeks, according to state officials, and claiming early will not result in receiving checks sooner.

129 replies on “Kentucky Unemployment Benefits Extension – 20 More Weeks With H3548”

EVERYONE Go to http://tinyurl.com/y9dwtzt VOTE on how long unemployment benefits should be extended. This is on MSNBC?s website which is good that we are getting the attention but so far there?s 7000 voters and so far Indefinitely is leading by a few % pts so lets show MSNBC there?s THOUSANDS & THOUSANDS of us.

I have a question. I zero balanced on my regular ui at the end of Feb 2010 and i filed online for the emergency ui claim but i got a letter in the mail saying i got the extended ui that lasts only 20 weeks than i done receiving unemployment. I wanted the emergency ui because i heard it lasts longer . i am in school now and i know that money will not last me long at all. i have to support me and my son. If anyone knows anything about this please help. Thanks

If you have zeroed your state claim and filed for the federal extension and received a letter stating 20 weeks then that is the first federal tier.

The tiers are: 1 is 20 weeks, 2 is 14 weeks, 3 is 13 weeks, and 4 is 6 weeks. Tier 2 was originally 13, but was increased when 3 and 4 were added. There was also a short-lived state extension thrown into the mix which ended at the end of November 2009.

If you add the tiers you get 53, plus the state 26, and the state extension of 20, that gives the number 99 that is often thrown around.

In order to sign up for the federal extension or advance from one tier to the next you must have run out of state money or the previous federal tier during a sign-up period. This sign-up period originally ended December 31, 2009, but then it was extended until February 2010, then March, and now it is pretty much a done deal that it will be open until the end of 2010.

Most likely if you begin federal tier 1 in March you will (under the end of 2010 expiration date) also be eligible to receive tier 2 and 3, but not 4.

Also, if you are in school full-time, unless you have already done so, you need to get an official approval so that situation cannot come back to haunt you later.

Phone Campaign to Begin on Monday 3/15? PLEASE JOIN US!!!

MONDAY
Senator Harry Reid: Phone= (202) 224-3542
Senator Jean Shaheen: Phone= (202) 224-2841

TUESDAY
Senator Richard Durbin: Phone= (202) 224-2152
Senator Max Baucus: Phone= (202) 224-2651

WEDNESDAY
Senator Debbie Stabenow: Phone= (202) 224-4822
Senator Sherrod Brown: Phone= (202) 224-2315

THURSDAY
Senator Robert Casey: Phone= (202) 224-6324
Senator Chris Dodd: Phone= (202) 224-2823

FRIDAY
Senator Al Franken: Phone= (202) 224-5641
Senator Arlen Specter: Phone= (202) 224-4254

Tier 5 to Survive :THE MOVIE made it to at least 2 websites. There is a stationary link to the YouTube video on the Unemployed – Friends website and also the following web page:
http://www.obamalisten.com/shoutoutamerica.php

In 24 hours it has over 800 views but that will not get us the media attention or Washington action we desperately need! HELP IT GO VIRAL – PLEASE!
http://tinyurl.com/ye956rd
Shotgun to all your contacts. Use it in all your emails/fax to Washington and the media and TWEET it to EVERYONE. We will be heard. This is our battle cry!!!!!

Hi, I just found this site,and i was wondering if anyone ever found out what it meant when the 800 # says “you received credit for the weeks ending…. however, no check was issued?” This is what mine is saying, and I can’t get ahold of anyone at my local office. Any body ever figure it out?

If you are getting that given credit message usually it is due to one of two reasons: 1.) When you requested your check, you may have answered one of the questions wrong. This will require manual intervention to cause the check to issue. 2.) If your separation reason was quit, discharge, etc. and not just a simple layoff then someone will have to have to make a decision as to whether or not you are eligible to receive unemployment. If the decision is in your favor, you will be paid automatically all the weeks you have claimed, therefore it is very important to still request checks on time even if all you are getting is a credit.

House in Session today let?s make them calls to amend, hr

4213 for tier V.And send them faxes all weekend.

So 877-762-8762 is the toll-free number at the Capitol Hill

Switchboard, 202-224-3121
202-225-3121

The 99ers need a Tier V added to Unemployment Benefits
The President of the United States, The U.S. Senate, The U.S. House,

The U.S. Senate, The U.S. House, Sen. Jon Kyl (AZ), Sen.

Dick Durbin (IL), Sen. Mitch McConnell (KY), Sen. Harry

Reid (NV), Sen. Chuck Schumer (NY), Rep. Nancy Pelosi

(CA-08), Rep. Steny Hoyer (MD-05) and Rep. Jim

McDermott (WA-07)

Senators and Representatives:

Well, here we go again. Seems Senator Coburn is pulling A Sen. Bunning trick. He just objected to the amendment to extend UI extension.

Good Morning,

I normally post on the Tennessee forum but have the same problems as other long term unemployed in the nation. Exhaustion of Tier 4 benefits. I really believe it is important to get our message out to the media in an effort for us to receive assistance during this period. Rachel Maddow, MSNBC, is going to have a segment tonight regarding unemployment. More importantly she has a blog from which input to the segment is retrieved. We really need our issue to come to light. You may or may not like MSNBC… that is your choice. However our problem extends beyond party or ideological barriers. We need to take care of our families.

http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/04/02/4104835-the-challenge-for-obama-more-jobs-same-old-unemployment

Lisa in KY

Good Morning and Happy Easter!

I am in the middle of my first extended benefit claim and just called my local office last Friday and was told that i was NOT due for a review until April 15, 2010 and should continue requesting my checks.

I went online this am to request my check and was auto redirected to the site to do a new claim and am now told that I have to wait until April 18, 2010 to request another check. However my balance is not yet zero on my EB claim. The bye date on my EB is 8/24/10 as stated on my last check stub. However, my original BYE date was 4/3/10. Im wondering if it is possibly a computer error and if i will still be able to claim a check either on the Internet or by going in to the local office.

Does anyone know???

Thanks!!

Our government really sucks. Why do they have to make it so difficult to understand how long you will draw unemployment and how much you will draw. Plain and simple. All of their wasteful paperwork and time spent on things of this nature is part of what is wrong with our economy. It’s as if they create work to assure they keep their jobs and they don’t have to worry about staying on the phone for hours and spending half the unemployment check you do get for gas looking for work. Easter vacation was more important than the millions of tax paying Americans that are without work because we allowed our manufacturing jobs to be moved to Mexico and overseas. Trust me-I will have the name of every person that did not try to help the unemployed Americans when I go to vote next time and they will not be voted for by me.

So, I guess they did not add any weeks for those that have exhasted their 99 weeks…
Tragic…

I am getting ready to start school and i have already received my regular ui. now they put me on Extended ui for 20 weeks. On the stub of the ui check it says bye: 08/21/2001 does that mean i will be running out of my benefits by then. I was hoping i could draw until i get out of school. Will i have a chance to apply for the emergency ui.

The BYE (benefit year end) date is the expiration of the state claim. When you run out of funds in the state claim you can and apparently have applied for the federal extension. Tier 1 of the federal extension is 20 weeks. Whether or not you can continue on to tier 2 (14 weeks) depends on what congress does with the expiration dates of the program, currently it is June 2nd.

67,

I hope you still check this board, got a good question for you, or anyone that can answer.
I’m going to be put on a 100% commission job tomorrow. Can I still draw unemployment? I know the short answer is yes, until I earn wages, then I have to report them. But, I won’t be getting paid, ever. I’m being put on the payroll for a reason, I just won’t be receiving any money.
I just want to make sure this wont affect my unemployment in the future. I didn’t know if being listed as having a job, even one that has no income, would mess with the claim I have?

Thanks.

Commission pay is reportable against unemployment when it is actually earned, not when it is paid. If you are on a commission job with set full-time hours, you are full-time employed and not eligible, e.g. a repair shop manager that gets a percent of the gross receipts. If you have no set hours and can work anytime you want or not at all, e.g. door-to-door salesperson who only gets something for each sale made, and are still available for full-time work and are still making applications for such, you are still eligible, after reporting commissions earned. If someone just puts you on the books as an employee and never pays you just to make you eligible for insurance or something similar, that has no effect. Something is only a wage if you can obtain its value in cash or equivalent.

I am on my first 20 week extension it started the end of Feb is this considered the Teir 1? I am somewhat confused with some of the terminology used , when this extension expires is the next tier 2 and is that 13 or 14 weeks? and is that the extension that is always waiting on congress to pass it?

Tier 2 is 14 weeks and unless Congress extends the sign-up dates you will not be eligible for it. There are two separate issues before Congress. One is extending the dates to apply for the federal extensions, which is what you would need and the other is adding another tier which only applies to folks that have drawn for 99 weeks. Under current legislation you would receive 46 weeks at most.

67,

I just filed for my last check under my balance on Tier 2. Since I’m at $0 before the end of May, will they automatically put me on Tier 3 since I’m at $0 balance before the deadline? Or is this it for me?

Also, can someone explain the progression of tiers? Is it state – EUC – EB? Or State – EB – EUC? I’m confused on where the EB is placed in all the different extensions and deadlines.

I know there is 26 weeks of state, plus 54 weeks of EUC, and 20 weeks of EB for a total of 100 weeks. That’s the max. Just wondering what order it’s paid in.

The current expiration date is June, so if you expire a federal extension tier mid-May you will advance to the next tier. However, expect the dates to again be advanced by Congress at the last minute. States have the option of when and if they enact EB (state extension) payments. Most states pay it as long as the federal government funds it 100 percent. That is subject to the same June expiration date. It is normally a 50 / 50 state and federal funding but most states do not have the funds to pay half. State governments cannot run a deficit like the federal government has the ability to do. The total weeks available is 99, not 100. The 4 federal tiers total only 53.

Is there any way to tell if I’ve already received the EB? By my count I’m just starting tier 3 and I’m on approx week 60…

This web-site has been almost impossible to get through these past few days. Most likely you have not received the EB (state extension) but if on the EB in the past you would have had to report job contacts when certifying for the checks. If you have not had to do that, then you have not been on the EB. These extensions are confusing and another cutoff date again looms in the near future. Right now your balance is all you can count on, going further depends on Congressional action. That may be easily enacted or maybe not, if a fifth tier gets thrown into the mix who knows what will happen. The last extension of dates was a real fight in Congress.

Thank you very much 67. I’ve had to report job searches ever since I’ve been on unemployment, so I suppose I’ll find out sometime in the future if I’ve been on EB or not.

Thanks for your help, you’ve been extremely informative.

Under normal state unemployment you have to report them on a form during the every-so-often review, also the same for the federal extension. For EB (state extension) you report them at the same time you request the check.

I have, sadly to say, been on unemployment since April 2009. I have never had to report my job searches when requesting a check. Ever so often there is a notation on my check stub to check with the unemployment office and I do. I keep a list of the people I apply to for a job or send my resume to. So, I must not be on the EB (state extension.) If the job situation is better, I have not found that to be true for my age group which is over 50. It is very discouraging. I have worked since 1964 and watched my savings go down the tube. I have asked at my unemployment office how much longer I have to draw unemployment because I know it has to end at some point. I cannot seem to get an answer. The lady just said “it is very confusing.” She has that right.

67, I hope you still check this.

Filed for my check Sunday, June 6. Everything went normal on the internet filing, nothing unusual. Got my check, it’s only half the usual? The stub looks like its marked for week 1 and week 2. It does say take it to local office by Wed, Thur, or Fri during week 2 so I’m assuming I’m do for a review. It’s never been half a check though before a review when I still have 5.5 checks remaining in the balance column…

Any idea why?

67and68,
My husband has been out of work since May, 2009. In March we received a letter stating he had a balance of 13,000+ which I assume is Teir 2 and the EB of 20 weeks. On his last check though the balance is $415, which means he is at the end of Teir 2. Any idea if he will automatically go to EB for twenty weeks to use the rest of the $13,000 from the letter? Thanks so much for all your help!!!!

I too received only one week unemployment this week. I went to my local office and was told I would be getting a letter…and unless Congress extends the Unemployment or adds a tier than I am just out of luck. My job was abolished and sent to the offices in China. They also told me I was at tier 3 and if Congress approved an extension I could get 22 more weeks. This is the most confusing thing I’ve ever dealt with in my life. Please contact your Senators and Representatives and tell them we need an extension. I fear the Gulf oil crisis has overshadowed the unemployment crisis. That is terrible but they have BP…Wall Street has the Government. I guess the unemployed are just at the lowest point of the food chain. Sorry but this is making me very angry. They (Senators and Reps) really think we are enjoying this.

Kim, if the last check has a balance of 415 what will happen depends on what weeks were paid on that check. You must get to zero balance on or before the week ending 05/29/10 to advance to the next tier unless Congress changes the expiration dates in the law. What that letter is not clear about is that some of that total has already been paid out.

Linda, the office could see if a 2nd check was issued on the computer. From what they told you, you cannot get any more weeks until Congress acts to extend the dates. To determine what you potentially have left count the weeks you have been paid for and subtract from 99, but again, Congress must change the expiration date for further payments to happen.

Silver, if you only got one week when you certified for two, then you may have advanced a tier, and a 2nd check for the other week will follow a couple of days later. That, however, does not mean for certain you advanced a tier, some were issued separately by accident. If you do not receive another check you may have ended a tier and cannot advance due to the lack of action by Congress, like Linda.

If you are on a federal extension (EUC) tier, or regular state unemployment you can continue to receive the balance you have. If on the state extension (EB) due to the federal funding source, nothing can be paid after paying out week ending 06/05/10. This is as of now, things may change next week.

Mine was due to a glitch in the system that affected at least everyone in the state, maybe more. My other half of the check arrived the next day. As of now I have 10 weeks remaining on Tier 3. My question is, if they extend through the end of the year, will I get Tier 4 next followed by 20 weeks of EB? Or just Tier 4? Or nothing?

If they extend through the end of the year, you should get Tier 4 (6 weeks) and then 20 weeks of EB, but this is if they just extend the dates like they have been doing and do not change anything else. Extending through the year end will be a fight in Congress.

Thanks to many of you who have signed the petition and sent letters to our leaders. I have this on my Facebook page but we need more exposure. If you have friends you can send it to, if you blog or twitter or have a Facebook or My Space page, would you consider posting it. Not allowing a vote in Congress shows their lack of concern for the unemployed. So far the Republican members of Congress won’t go along with an up or down vote. Please help us get the word to them that we will remember this in November. Here is the link you can copy and paste on your blogs and pages. Thanks so much my friends. It is up to us.

http://www.change.org/petitions/view/dont_let_the_gulf_oil_crisis_overshadow_the_unemployment_crisis

i have a question i have been laid off since april 09 , was told i was at the end of my benefits, i have only been on unemployment for 60 weeks why cant i get the full 99 weeks?

Hello.

In mid May i filed a new claim and received 2 check on that claim. After receiving the 2nd check i inquired as to what my balance was on that claim and was told it was $4080.00. I tried to claim a check yesterday and was told that I was out of benefits and was prompted to fill out a new claim. I am trying to figure out what could have happened to that $4080.00 that was left in that claim? Seems like i would be able to draw the rest of that money in that claim before being out of benefits under the current law. Does anyone have any ideas?

Also, if the current bill is extended in the Senate does that mean if you are currently out of benefits that you can reapply at that time the bill is passed?

What does it mean on the check “stub” when it says ZERO balance for week 1….then for WEEK 2 it says “IN CLAIM”?
I think I’ve received 76 weeks of UI benefits up to this point.

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