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Tennessee 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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Part of Obama’s 2009 stimulus package was 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 the economic climate is bad enough.  This is usually measured by the unemployment rate.

The unemployment rate in Tennesse was 9.9% for April 2009 which is up from 6.0% in April of last year.  This is the highest unemployment rate in 25 years.  Tennesse has qualified for $141 million to pay for extended benefits as well as upgrades to the benefit infrastructure.

What unemployment benefits are available now?

Currently Tennessee will pay benefits for 26 weeks which is the normal payout period.  There is another 33 weeks which is available because of the 2009 stimulus package for a total of 59 weeks.


Unemployed workers can get up to $275 per week in benefits plus a bonus $25 a week from the federal government for a total of $300 per week.

Will the unemployment benefits be extended by another 20 weeks?

[edit – please note that this bill has been passed]

Currently there is a bill called HB 2324 which if passed will increase benefits by up to 20 weeks.  If the claimant has any children the bill will also add on $15 per week per child up to 3 kids.  This bill has not been made law yet but you can check on the status of the bill here.  At the moment (May 22) it says that it is scheduled for the Finance, Means and Ways committe for May 27.  This bill was first introduced on Feb 26 so it is taking a long time.

Once the bill is passed by the FMW committee then it will go to the house and senate and lastly the governor.

There is a very good chance that unemployment benefits will be extended by 20 weeks however the slow machine of politics means that it might take a while.

693 replies on “Tennessee Unemployment Benefits Extension – 20 More Weeks?”

Bri – If you can’t get through to the Claims Center you can go to your nearest Career Center and they should be able to help you.

John, I exhausted all of my benefits last april. I qam one of the 99 weeker’s. I still have not found a job!. My question to you is are the 1099 g’s going to be available soon. Need to file my taxes asap.

John,

Do I have to file a new claim bc my BYE date ended on 1/1/11, even though I still got to certify sunday?? And can I get EUC twice from tier 1 through tier 4?

Hunter J – Yes.

Unless you got through to someone who manually adjusted your claim after determining you weren’t eligible for a new claim, it wont generate a payment for a week ending after 1-1-11. It should generate a payment for the 1-1-11 week because that was the last payable week ending date before your benefit year ended. But to get paid after 1-1, you will need to file a new claim.

Also, remember, the week we are currently paying is 1-8-11, so you are a week behind in your certifications.

You can have two or more claims that are eligible for EUC. You have to have worked enough to create another eligible claim and once it exhausts, you can receive EUC on the new claim.

Hunter J – Unless you talked to someone who manually adjusted your claim to allow payments after your benefit year expired, you must file a new claim. The week ending 1-11, even though it accepted your certification, will likely not pay.

ok ive looked everywhere and cant find out any thing…..my benifits run out before my bye date feb 26, 2011….do they send me something, to get it extended, do i go fight with them at the office or what, the tenn unemployment website said u get 18 weeks i have only received mayb 8 (about two months) i have a seasonal canoe guide job april-oct i really need this to carry me into march at least, i read somewhere i can get it extended, sum places said no, sum said i gto go thru alot of crap, so whats the deal???

Seth – When you exhaust your regular unemployment claim, you will automatically transition into EUC Tier 1. If your benefit year ends, whatever benefits you are receiving stops until you file a new claim to see if you have new state unemployment entitlement. If you do, under some circumstances you must receive the state benefits and under other circumstances you are placed back on your old claim to continue to receive EUC.

Hello everyone, I have a quick question. I am not sure how the 1099G works. I am about to transition to tier 3 this week or next. Which puts me unemployed since Nov.25, 2009.
So, when i go to the tdlwd.tn.gov/ui1099 web site it says :
$1,044.00
Trade Readjustment Assistance (TRA) Payments
$0.00
Alternative Trade Adjustment Allowance (ATAA) Payments
$0.00
Total Payments
$1,044.00
UC Federal Income Tax Withheld
$108.00
TRA Federal Income Tax Withheld
$0.00
ATAA Federal Income Tax Withheld
$0.00
Total Federal Income Tax Withheld
$108.00

And for 2010 it says 0! How can that be correct????
I will be filing taxes for 2010 but, it’s not showing anything.
I’m confused!

Thanks for any help you can give…
Knoxtn

I was released from my last employer due to “employee restructuring” (whatever!). Anyway I have been receiving benefits since 4/5/10 (date of release). I have obviously received my initial 26 weeks which was at $251/wk plus 1 dependant ($15) and the $25 stimulas. After the 26 weeks I started receiving a bit less, $141/wk plus 1 dep ($15) and the stimulas stopped 12/11/10. I have one (1) check left coming from this second amout which should be here Wednesday 1/19/11. I was told by a rep. at our local career ctr. that I received that amount from a previous claim from 2005 which was not exhausted. In other words, in 2005 while drawing I obtained other employment and the benefits stopped obviously leaving this money. I don’t understand this at all. ALSO where the heck does this leave me with this current extention? Will I transition at the rate I started on 4/5/10? Will I transition at all? Do I now or will I need to file a new claim? I so confused? Please help? Thank You in Advance!! –William E

William – The rules regarding EUC and EB are complicated. But generally, when you exhaust your regular state unemployment claim, you are placed back on to your oldest claim that has an extension set up on it. If you have exhausted extensions on your previous claims, you set up an extension on your most recent claim.

JOHN: when I put my social and my pin in to check for 1099g’s and then put year 2010/ it says invalid date whats up with that,then i put 2009 just to see if it would let me see last years and it did the same thing, Also,I am a 99er is there any hope out there at all?

Donna – The 1099s for 2010 aren’t scheduled to be available until January 24. If you received benefits in 2009, it should show up for you. Did you get a 1099 last year?

Thanks John for the info! One other thing, what do I need to do to set up an extension, if anything? The reason I asked is:
FYI – I did finally reach someone today with the local career center and she advised me that I was on tier 2 on old claim from 2006 and had $1 left on that previous claim I described to you yesterday. She stated that next week I would receive that $1 plus my $15 for dependant and then I would then go to tier 3 on the old claim. She went further to explain that after tier 3 and 4 on the old claim that I would start with tier 1, then 2, 3, and 4 on my new claim that was initiated on 4/5/10. She never said anything about filing an extension or new claim so does this sound correct to you? She was not an employee of the Dept. of Labor and Workforce just with the local career center so I was wondering if that sounds right to you? Thank You again in Advance.
–William

I had noticed on the website that we now have the option of a card or direct deposit. Does anyone know if you have direct deposit set up, how long it takes after you certify to be deposited into your account? Thanks in advance.

William – It sounds like you got good advice from the Career Center because everything you were told appears to be correct. Generally, you shouldn’t have to apply for an extension as our computer automatically transitions you from one extension to the next. The only time you have to apply again is when your benefit year ends.

Styphan2 – I believe it takes a couple of days to get both direct deposit and debit cards set up. My understanding is that while it is processing the setting up of other payment types, you don’t lose the week because it defaults to a paper check.

yes I got a 1099 last year it just wont let me see anything. oh and is there any hope for us 99ers? just wondering.

John: I tryed again and it let me see 2009 ,so it must have just been the system was down or something. thanks 🙂

Well. That’s makes me feel as good as I could right now. My search will continue, maybe something good with a new career awaites? I guess that’s what I will do. Thank You for the info. gl
—William

Question… I have $119.00 left before starting tier 3. Doe’s that mean my next check will be for the amount of $119. That’s a lot short from my weekly amount! How does that work???
Thanks for the help.

knoxtn: That is how it has worked for me when I have gone from one tier to the next.
I have gotten as little as $47 then when I went to new tier the check goes back to the regular amount. Seems as if they have to empty out a tier like an account or something and then start over with the new tier and the higher amount. Good Luck to you!

knoxtn – When you are eligible for benefits, either originally, or on a tier or EUC or when drawing EB, you receive a document called a monetary determination. On this monetary determination tells you your weekly benefit amount (WBA) and your maximum benefit amount (MBA). Before you receive your first check, you MBA is your balance on your claim. As you start receiving benefits, your balance is generally decreased every week by your WBA.

If you qualify for the maximum amount of benefits, which is a $275 WBA and a $7,150 MBA, it works out evenly to 26 weeks of $275. But in many cases, your MBA is not evenly divisible by your WBA. In those cases, the last week of your claim is less than your WBA.

For example – If someone was eligible to receive a WBA of $272 and a MBA of $5,278, their claim would be paid as follows (assuming my math is right):

week 1 – $272 payment – balance $5,006
week 2 – $272 payment – balance $4,734
week 3 – $272 payment – balance $4,462
week 4 – $272 payment – balance $4,190
week 5 – $272 payment – balance $3,918
week 6 – $272 payment – balance $3,646
week 7 – $272 payment – balance $3,374
week 8 – $272 payment – balance $3,102
week 9 – $272 payment – balance $2,830
week 10 – $272 payment – balance $2,558
week 11 – $272 payment – balance $2,286
week 12 – $272 payment – balance $2,014
week 13 – $272 payment – balance $1,742
week 14 – $272 payment – balance $1,470
week 15 – $272 payment – balance $1,198
week 16 – $272 payment – balance $926
week 17 – $272 payment – balance $654
week 18 – $272 payment – balance $382
week 19 – $272 payment – balance $110
week 20 – $110 payment – balance zero

As you can see from this example, in many cases, the last week of someone’s benefits can be an amount less than their weekly benefit amount. In this same example, if this person now transitions into EUC Tier 1, their WBA stays the same, but their MBA is 80% of their regular state claim. Their MBA on their state claim was $5,278 so their MBA on their EUC Tier 1 would be $4,222. Because this new MBA is greater than their WBA, they can receive their full WBA until the balance on the EUC claim falls below $272 and then they would receive a smaller payment for that week to finish out the remainder of their MBA.

I know this is complicated but I hope this helps everyone see how it is calculated.

I started receiving unemployment in April 2010 and I wanted to ask are the benefits tax free for the first 2400.00 or was that just for people that were unemployed in 2009?

Thanks John and Lynn, Yes it’s a little complicated but, i think i understand.
I also wanted to let everyone know that my 2010 tax info is now online too. Thanks!

One more quick question…. just to ease my mind! It’s my understanding that i DO NOT need to call or do anything going into the next tier (3)? I will auto. transition?? Am i correct?
Thanks again!:)

knowtn – In most circumstances, you will automatically transition from one tier of EUC to the next. Generally, if you aren’t living in another state, you shouldn’t have a problem going from one tier to the next.

Just a question, ex hubby and I are friends. He is raising our son, I am raising our daughter. He pays 151.00 per month child support out of his Unemployment. He receives 275.00 per week. Though not sure after taxes and he doesn’t hold out state taxes. We live in Georgia but he claims on Tennessee. He was laid off the end of August 2008, started UI September 2008. Worked here and there about total of 6-8 weeks in two years. It’s never interfered with my child support allotment either. But it’s 1/24/2011 and he is telling me he might be running out of UI benefits any day now. I thought he already had. I mean I am not worried, since I work. I can fully take care of our daughter. But what will happen to him? He isn’t looking for work either. Trust me, he comes and picks up our daughter every weekend. She goes to his house after school almost every day. I’ve often asked him if he is looking for work, and he answers — not currently. Now he tells me I may not be getting anymore child support (court ordered) (held out of his bank account each month per DHR) and that he is not sure where his future lies. Maybe I am going to have to take our son in. But not sure what will happen to him.

So, does this mean his 99 weeks are up? From mine/his calculations he is OVER DRAWN by many many weeks. How can that be possible.? Can the system keep granting him more pay while everyone else suffers?

I’m signed up for direct deposit, and it was processed a few days ago. I know I won’t be getting a check this week as it always shows a mailed date of Monday on the website. My question is does anyone know if they do batch direct deposits the same day as you certify?

knoxtn- Hi! I’m glad our transition to Tiers are almost the same time span, because you ask all the questions that I’m thinking!. Check your emails and let me know how you and yours are doing. I’m not able to come online that much anymore, but I try and check my e-mails at the library, when I can.

John- Hi! I read above, that some are able to already choose to direct deposit. Is this only new claims?

Brian, i actually changed my info. to direct deposit last Monday and my check went in on Thursday. I haven’t check on this weeks yet but, will be doing so after 8am. Hoping it goes in today.

Brian, i actually changed my info. to direct deposit last Monday and my check went in on Wed. I haven’t check on this weeks yet but, will be doing so after 8am.

John, Bill or anyone…. Confused again! Omgosh! I need a job! This is so frustrating!
Another question-
As i posted above about this being my last week on tier 2. My balance is $119. before starting tier 3. Ok… i am the kind of person that has to have the peace of mind on “everything” so, I called the 877# just now to “make sure” everything was okay for the start of tier 3.
The lady i spoke with was very nice but, now i am really confused! Again!
She said… Yes. Ido have $119. left to draw this week on tier 2. Ok! I understand this so far…

Now this is what’s confusing me….. She said next week “after” i certify for my first week of tier 3 for $236. (amount is also correct) Then (after cert.) i have to call back and, “recertify” over the again to be able to draw tier 3. CONFUSED @ this point…
She then said I have a balance of $236. to draw in tier 3. (1 check). Now i am Really Confused more. I am just beginning tier 3 next week (cert. on Mon.). But, i only have $236. in tier 3?? This is so confusing to me. She also said something about my BYE date but, i explained that my BYE DATE was Nov. 25, 2010 and, i had already re-certified at that time to continue the tiers.
So, am i suppose to call and recert. after each tier if i still am unemployed?? From my understanding in Nov 2010 when i re-certified on BYE date i was told that i was “APPROVED” for the benefits at that time…of course my euc money was out so, i WASN’T approved for that…
But, how could i have only $236. in tier 3 if i haven’t even started it yet??
She was really nice and, said she didn’t want to confuse me… but she did.:/ lol! gotta LOL or, go Nuts!~
I really Appreciate all of you guys and this website!!! Don’t know what i would do if i couldn’t come here for help!:))

Thanks and Have a great Day!~~

Ex Wife and Worried – If someone has more than one claim that is eligible for EUC, they can receive EUC benefits on both of their claims. The 99 weeks applies for one claim. EUC has been around long enough that there are folks who have had a several short term jobs and have worked long enough to receive regular state benefits on several state claims and EUC on those same claims.

Brian – I don’t believe it always deposits it the same night that you certify. The best thing to do is to check your account to make sure the money is there.

knoxtn – I believe your confusion may have to do with the extra week of EUC Tier 2. When one of the extensions was passed by Congress, they added one extra week of EUC Tier 2. Tier 2 went from a maximum of 13 weeks to a maximum of 14 weeks. Because all of the coding in our system was built around a maximum of 13 weeks for EUC Tier 2, Tennessee chose to implement this extra week as a new Tier. Its called EUC Tier 2 Extra on your check and it is a one week extension at the end of EUC Tier 2 and before EUC Tier 3 sets up.

Now i’m confused. I have after this week, one week left in my Tier2. From the information I’ve been reading, I was thinking I would simply transition over to Tier3. I called the automated number and it gave me my old BYE date also, but I filed a new claim 12/6/10. Do I need to file a new claim? John, what exactly am I suppose to do concerning the system still showing my old BYE date?

Terri – You will probably transition into the extra week of EUC Tier 2 and then into EUC Tier 3. Did you file a new claim after your benefit year ended on 12-6-10?

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