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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?”

I would say so, that’s the first thing I’ve seen where Ramsey and Haslam both responded. The Legislature website isn’t showing anything new, probably won’t do another update till Monday. If Ramsey voted for it, it’s good to go. Sounds like political maneuvering just to get some other bills passed. Glad that’s over with, I think I aged about 5 yrs. May have to use my unemployment on nerve pills! 🙂

Thanks for the comments

Dwayne

Hard to say on the retro, but I wouldn’t think so, the money was there before. I would say the longest would be if the Gov didn’t sign and let it lay on his desk for 10 days. Because the 3 yr lookback goes into effect the day the bill is made into law, so on that day, we should qualify for EB. But the way this whole thing has gone, it’s anybody’s guess.

Dwayne

Just found out why it was made retro to Dec 17, 2010. That was when the last Federal extension was signed into law. So this new bill retro’s it back to that extension:

http://unemployedworkers.org/sites/unemployedworkers/index.php/site/blog_entry/unemployed_workers_win_campaign_for_full-year_renewal_of_federal_benef

Remember, that is the Federal law back in Dec 2010. The way I’m reading we should pick up where we were. But let’s wait till next week to be sure. If anyone can find out if Haslam signed them today, that would help. He may just wait till Monday and sign it.

Dwayne

ok, do these benefits apply to the people that have exhausted all 4 tiers of unemployment and have absolutely nothing left, and have still not found work, and for the person that ask about John P. His name is John Partlow, and his email is john.partlow@tn.gov

Angie, my understanding, and I could be wrong, is that this allows the 20 weeks, extended benefits, along with tiers 1-4 to continue, as long as the qualifiers remain in effect. EB comes after tier IV. Unemployment remaining above, I believe, 8.5% for a three month average and allows the 3 year lookback to be used. The unemployment has to be 110% greater than it was 3 yrs ago, which, it is 172%. It doesn’t add anymore tiers or add any additional weeks over what the federal law has outlined.

Now, I don’t work with the State, so, I don’t know your situation, plus, we’ll have to wait till the state issues the guidelines for these changes, so don’t take what I say as a guarantee or law, I’m not sure, just reading what has been released and what was laid out in the last extension.

Dwayne

angie/tn- Thank you! I actually found found it. I had it saved in my email address. He’s great about answering questions and helping…

From the Dept of Labor and workforce development site:

http://www.tn.gov/labor-wfd/EUB_May21_2011.html

updated 5/23/2011

EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS REINSTATED

On 3/28/11, the US Department of Labor informed this Agency that Tennessee had triggered-off the EB program as of week ending 03/26/2011 and that no EB benefits would be payable after April 16, 2011. On May 21, 2011, the General Assembly passed legislation to retroactively reinstate the EB program back to April 16, 2011. The bill will become law upon signing by Governor Haslam and it is designed to become immediately effective.

There are several categories of unemployment insurance claimants who would be directly affected by this new legislation and the Agency’s Information Technology Section is hard at work to complete the programming necessary to promptly deliver these benefits in accordance with the law.

If you ceased receiving EB Benefits on April 16, 2011, had a balance in your account at that time, have not returned to work and remain eligible you will be allowed to receive the remainder of those benefits. If you have returned to work, you may be eligible for those weeks in which you were unemployed.
If you exhausted EUC08 Tier 4 benefits on or after April 16, 2011, have not returned to work and remain eligible, you will be transitioned into EB. You will receive a written EB Monetary Entitlement notification. If you have returned to work, you may be eligible for those weeks in which you were unemployed.
If you exhaust EUC08 Tier 4 benefits after the effective date of the new law, you will be transitioned into the EB program. You will receive a written EB Monetary Entitlement notification. (The Agency expects to have programming in place to enable EB benefit payment to this group within the next several days.)

It will take some time to complete and test the computer programming necessary to deliver EB benefits to the claimants in Groups 1 & 2 above. Beginning June 6, 2011, these individuals may expect to receive written notice of potential eligibility and instructions regarding their respective obligations and how to receive EB benefits. (Please monitor the Agency webpage for updates.)

The law does not establish any new benefits. If you exhausted your EB benefits prior to April 16, 2011, you are not entitled to any further unemployment compensation benefits until you have satisfied the re-earnings requirement.

Work Search: There are no retroactive EB Work Search requirements for the period going back to April 16, 2011. All EB claimants will be notified in writing as to the manner and timeframe of the EB Work Search requirement.

Hope this helps to put our minds at ease for a little while.

Dwayne

thats it you guys..now i can payback to fellows that i burrowed from to support my family…..i will be back ……….dwayne=thanks

Can someone tell me if EUC Tier’s 1, 2, 3 & 4 as well as EB ends as of December 31, 2011?

I have been on UI since Dec 1, 2010 and I can not find a job. I have worked a bunch of days when I could find the temp. work, but I make about $500.00 a day and when I work one day and that knocks me out of a whole week of UI. It is no wonder that people like to stay on UI benefits instead of working, but it makes me feel much better to work when I can even tho I only make about the same thing if I work one day a week as I do if I take the Unemployment for a whole week. After taxes it is just about the same if I work one day a week or draw UI.

I have been told that on the weeks that I work I just lose that week as far as UI is concerned.

If I only had the mental security to know that I had the full 99 weeks of back-up of the UI benefits I could sleep better. There are just no job openings in the medical field that I am in, and I am afraid that there is not going to be in the future.
Does anyone know if this means that I can have the UI benefits as a back up for 99 weeks from Dec 2010 if I need them?

Steve, yes the Federal Unemployment benefits that were extended in Dec 2010 are going to end in Dec 2011, not sure of the exact date, but unless there is another federal extension, all, (tier1-EB) will end in Dec 2011.

Dwayne

if any of you need questions answered, john.partlow@tn.gov…this guy works for the dept of labor and he answers right back….he use to be on this site all the time with sound advise……

So, if there will not be any retro EB work searches required does this mean that we will receive pay for the weeks that we didnt receive EB or we will start fresh? I ended my tier 4 a week after 4/16.

@styhan2= hey email the link in my last post…he works for state unemployment agency…let us know

My understanding of the above posting is you will start right where you left off. Just without the work search log for the retro. If you haven’t started the EB, but finished tier 4, looks like you will be first in line. The others will have to wait till June 6 to get backpay and continue till you reach 20 weeks. I had already received 4 weeks, means I will get roughly 5 weeks retro and still have 11 weeks left. If I’m reading the above right. That is, if I don’t find a job first.

Gary, trust me, I’d rather be working than having to rely on UI, because just like this last, they pulled the plug with no warning and we got behind on bills. Unemployment is 13% in the County I live in. You make it sound like we don’t want to work, and that’s the last thing people need to hear. We all know lazy people that don’t want to work, even when work is available. But, I assure you, most I know had rather have a job, then rely on the govt for help. The govt won’t always be there for you, as they have proven. The 99 weeks would start counting down from the day after you lost your job if you qualify for benefits, until Dec 2011 when all federal assistance is set to end. so if you qualified for benefits on Dec 1, 2010, you would receive roughly 56 weeks by Dec 31, 2011 and it would stop and you wouldn’t receive the full 99 weeks, unless the Federal Govt approved another round in 2012.

Dwayne

Dwayne

Dwayne

Dear Dwayne,

I want to Thank You for your tireless effort and information that I and many other silent readers have been following. I did send an email to Rep. Fitzhugh, 5/19, thanking him for his work to re-instate EB for unemployed Tennesseans. I will be 50 this year.I never thought things like EB would matter to me and my family. Stay cool and know you are appreciated.

I f you have exhausted your benefits can you get the 20 weeks extension that was pass may 21, 2011

talked to umemployment office they said if it becomes a bill then we will get a letter in the mail to let us know what to do. so its not a done deal yet. {haslam never in his life had to worry about paying bills.}

debra=if you exausted tier 1-4 and eb(20 week), then the answer is no…

The only options the Gov has is to Veto, which all indications are he won’t as he has already said in one of the articles I read after the senate voted on it. He can call for a funding change or funding review, which I believe, would send it back through committee, or not sign it, which in that case, would lay on his desk and after the 10th day, it would become law by default.

It’s all just a political game. Ramsey said on Saturday, that he was “Philosophically opposed to it, but because unemployment was so high in some areas and no indications that it would improve anytime soon, he reluctantly voted for it. Just political maneuvering.

One thing I forgot to add. I fully believe it will become law. Haslam may not sign it, he may let it become law by default, that way, down the road, he takes no blame or credit for any budget issues that may arise from it. Remember, this is all about spending, With the federal fight going on right now to bring spending down, Haslam doesn’t want to get caught in the middle(in his eyes). If he signs it, he approves the additional spending(the way it’s being worded in the media), to the budget, if he doesn’t allow it to become law, he takes votes away from himself, if the employment situation continues to worsen and he has shown he has no compassion for the unemployed. Not signing, in political eyes, allows him a certain level of win-win.

Not saying that I agree with that by any means, he may still go ahead and sign it, but if he doesn’t, he has nothing to gain by killing it, and a certain level of a win, by just letting it become law.

Dwayne

We are done, IMHO. At the worst, it will be another 7(only Sundays don’t count if I read right) days before it becomes law. If you read the release from the Dept of Labor, most of us won’t be affected till after June 6 anyway. As quick as they posted the change, I do have faith in them that this will go quickly once it becomes law.

Dwayne

I spoke with the unemployement office today, they said haslam will be signing, & they are getting the system ready. I spoke with don ingrams office. The lady said it should be any day. Dewayne, also let me just say thanks to you!

Your welcome. The news media wasn’t covering it, so, thought I would.

Dwayne

Does these benefits include the 99ers or just the ones who are currently on or about to go off? Please let me know cause I need to update my address with them and I am still unemployed. And I haven’t been able to find a job at all since 2011 came in. So someone please let me know Thanks

Angela, if you have already exhausted your Tier 1-4 and your 20 week EB, then it is through. This bill does not establish new benefits for ones who have already exhausted their benefits, only for the ones whose benefits were stopped before they were finished by the trigger off in April. It would take another Federal extension to establish any new benefits.

Dwayne

One thing I just discovered, since I haven’t check the Legislature website since Sat nite, is the reason that it is taking so long for the Gov to sign, is, it has just been enrolled and signed by the House Speaker. I kind of thought that was done when the bill passed Sat, but, that’s what happens when you assume:

here is where the bill is at as of 1500 on Wed, 5/25:

http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB2156&GA=107

I believe that Ramsey, the Speaker of the Senate has to sign it, I thought that was already done, but, here is the link to how a bill becomes law. It has been enrolled, the House Speaker has signed, so I guess the Senate Speaker, then, on to the Gov:

http://www.capitol.tn.gov/about/billtolaw.html

It won’t be long now.

Dwayne

Another thought, they could be moving a little slow, to allow the Dept of Labor and Workforce Development to catch up with the retro part of it. Just a thought.

Dwayne

Ok, the Senate speaker has just signed the bill, so it should be in route to the Gov desk. Maybe a ceremony signing tomorrow?? Here:

http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB2156&GA=107

It’s about there. A true warrior knows there is a time to go forth with the battle(as we did), then there is a time for patience, in rebuilding(as we are doing now). But, we stand forever vigilant, in case the patience is taken as a sign of weakness, in which case, we will take the battle back to them swiftly and without mercy. I believe we are being patient up to this point, considering we didn’t have all the facts. But we stand vigilant.

Dwayne

Looking around a little bit, and I just want to prepare people for the possibility. A lot of bills that I have reviewed, have laid on the Gov’s desk for 10 days, then he signs them. Not saying by any means that is what will happen here, he could sign it tomorrow, I just want everyone to be prepared it could be the 5th through the 8th for it to be signed. The State has already told us, they won’t be ready till about the 6th anyway, so that fits. Remain patient, it will come.

Dwayne

new to this site
and just had a question
How do you know what tier your on 1-4 ?

well foks im done here,,,,this site is silent….good luck to all

Does anyone out there know if the Federal Government is even considering, at this time, to continue or reinstate EUC/EB, or will they wait until December to address the issue?

marlie=if in tennessee,,,,yes they are continuing….it shall be back on track by the 6th on june..

Definately would like to know when the Gov. signs the bill. I live out of state now, but will be affected by the EB Benefits.
Tammy

Thanks for the info and yes I understand they have reinstated the benefits for now but my question was in regards to these benefits running out in December of 2011, unless I did not understand what I had previously read. I had read that all federal funding for EUC and EB ends December 2011. Is this correct and if so will it be looked at and addressed?

@Marlie, yes that is correct, all benefits other than the State(initial) 26 weeks are set to expire Dec 31, 2011. As for as any new benefits, I have no idea. I have heard no indication from the US Senators or Congressmen that would lead me to believe that they will extend it, there has been no talk or any new bills that I know of at the Federal level that would indicate otherwise. There is no guarantee they will even address it again. But, like the State and waiting till the last minute, anything is possible.
@Tammy Joe, as of 05/25/2011, all that is left is the Gov. signature. If he doesn’t sign it within 10 days of the last step(with Sundays and Holidays added to the time), in this case the Senate Speaker signing it, it becomes law by default. So, we are all just waiting. The State is saying they will send out notices as soon as it becomes law.

@Scott and Eugene, you would probably be better off contacting the unemployment office, I have no idea what your situation is.

Yes as of 5/31 nothing has been sent to my unemployment office here in Ripley Tn so i was wondering if the bill has been signed yet?

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