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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?”

Just checked the website to watch the bill, it has been transmitted to the gov. So hopefully any day.. .

Kendra is correct, the bill was transmitted to the Gov on 5/31/11 Something I just noticed on the Tn Dept of Labor and Workforce Development update. If you go back to the last page and look at comment #308, You’ll see the following quote:

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.)

That paragraph has been replaced on the update on the Dept website with the following:

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 and Agency staff are working on the project requirements in advance of the bill becoming law. All individuals from Groups 1 & 2 will 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.)

They took out the Beginning June 6th wording. Could mean that the computer is ready whenever the Gov signs it or they are prepared just in case it sets on the Gov’s desk for 10 days before it becomes law.

Just thought that was worth pointing out. I think everything is still fine. Just a change.

Dwayne

O, and this paragraph has been added too:

Once eligible claimants have updated their back-certification information, a payment will be issued to retroactively cover the benefit weeks since April 16, 2011. Claimants will then resume their weekly benefit schedule of certification and receipt of benefits.

Probably, the direct deposit or debit card info.

Still says we won’t be required to retro the work search requirements.

Here is the link to the above:

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

Dwayne

What about the peoples who have exhausted there benefits you can’t make employers hire all you can do is look what about those peoples who have worked on jobs for 15 plus years look every day for a job sent resumes still no call from anyone that is not fair what are those peoples suppose to do look at money they using to fight war thank GOD FOR MY JOB i feel sorry for the ones who don’t have a income

Might be a good idea for you to stop by Gov Haslam’s facebook page and say thank you. Looking at all the signed bills that I did online, I didn’t see one that was signed after the next day after transmission. All I seen took 7-10 days to be signed. Say thanks and let him know we need some jobs now!!

Dwayne

Reason I said it would probably be a good idea to stop by Haslam’s facebook page, the post about the bill being signed, he is receiving a lot of heat from the folks who are thinking we are just drawing a check and not looking for work. My recommendation is too be nice, don’t start an argument, just state your situation.

Dwayne

I just broke my own rule about arguing, but I’ll be danged if I’m going to let a snot nose college student who probably hasn’t worked a day in his life lecture me on “relocating” to work. You wonder how some people in this world have the common sense to breath….Fuming!!!

Dwayne

@Sharon, I agree with you wholeheartedly, I’m 47 and because of my age, I can’t find a job either. I’m just going to be finishing out my EB, just like those you have mentioned already exhausting their benefits. I haven’t got any calls either and I’m looking, not sitting on my butt. Here in several weeks, if I don’t find something, mine will stop too. No, it’s not fair to anyone of us, whom, in TN, are only drawing benefits because we lost our jobs by no fault of our own. None of us just quite our jobs, just to sit at home and draw unemployment. Can’t happen that way. Be very glad that you do have a job, because in today’s economy, the unemployment rate went up, the dow lost 260-280 points today, the housing market is on the verge of another collapse(1 in 4 houses are worth less than what the mortgage is for), and the school year has ended and all the high school and college seniors are now entering the job market. So, it is very easy to end up unemployed. Remember, in the next election, who has actually tried to assist the unemployed and have also tried to create an atmosphere for the employers to start hiring again. And that is not to increase taxes, which has to be paid for by someone, by either prices of products going up or employees getting fired. Make small business take out medical insurance for their employees that they can’t afford,(will have the same affect as raising taxes). I was just turned down by one of my old jobs, which is a small family run business, because of the taxes and insurance concerns, they don’t know if they’re going to be able to stay in business in the highly competitive market they’re in.(it is an industry that takes about 3 months OJT, before your a productive worker, I have 7 years experience) That would have been a job, and I wouldn’t now need unemployment. How is what I have just described, the toll that will be taken on small business, any different to us the taxpayers and the workers, as bailing out the car industry and the housing market(which is still failing). I’m in the same boat as millions of others and the boat is taking on water fast..

Dwayne

yep=im middle aged, with 4 children=two still in diapers….i dont know where to look anymore,,,been everywhere,,,

I found this blog very helpful….I have been unemployed for a year and I have exhausted my benefits and I am thankful for the extension. I worked at Vanderbilt in a Research lab. I went on an interview yesterday and the employer told me that he was very interested but said that he was going to continuing interview because there is a foreigner out there that have more experience that would take less pay…..WOW, Really………

OMG @May in Nashville! I too have been unemployed since August 09. I worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield (a medicare subsidiary) and because the government changed the way we got our contracts, we were shut down after 40 years in business. So along with 150 other employees, I lost my job. I am 34 and worked 2 jobs since I was 18. I stuck with both jobs for years and was never unemployed. It burns me up when people say we are lazy or that we are on welfare. Unlike welfare, you have to have actually worked to draw unemployment. I was one of the 28,000 who was on eb and lost it. People say Bill Haslam did not “know” about what was going on. B.S. I emailed him as soon as I got the letter in the mail and explained what was going on and that the state of TN failed to do it’s job. I got the standard email back saying that the Depart. of Labor was the correct agency to speak with and that someone would contact me. I got the standard email from the Dept. of Labor as well and emailed both back saying that I was well aware that we had triggered off and sent another email back to both agencies explaining why we had triggered off and never heard anything back. I’m pretty darn sure that I’m not the only person out of 28,000 that emailed the governor or the dept. of labor. Anyways lol, all ranting aside, I called unemployment today and was told that the system was still not set up and they didn’t know when it would be. I guess it’s a waiting game still…

oh, and for the people who don’t believe we are looking for work…I have put in hundreds of resumes and applications from mcdonald’s on up and haven’t received the first call back. For the people who say that we are too good to work at mcdonalds, no I am not BUT I can understand why some wouldn’t want to. I have 3 kids, two of which I have to pay daycare for. Before I was laid off I made good money and had insurance. When I was laid off, my children no longer had insurance. The Mcdonald’s in my small town pays minimum wage and is only part time. No insurance is offered. How is it feasible to pay daycare for 2 of my kids (cheapest is $240 per week for both) lose their insurance, and pay for gas and bills on part time minimum wage pay? I would be paying more for daycare alone then what I would be making? Would you want to let go of a $320 a week unemployment check that you need to survive in order to take a job and go in the hole so to speak? According to unemployment, I don’t have to take a job that doesn’t pay as much as my unemployment anyway. Moral of the story is I had a good life. I worked everyday, paid my bills, paid daycare, paid insurance etc. and the GOVERNMENT took that away from me. Do I feel bad about drawing unemployment, HELL NO!

@Apresto – I finished my master’s 2 years ago in Biology and all the employers I have interviewed with either want to pay less than unemployment or offer not insurance. Can I make at least enough to pay my student loans. I was told that I should consider teaching…..No thank you…. I believe all these years of work I have put in…. I should be able to draw unemployment “till the cows come home is that is the case.” I am a paying taxpayer…..”SHOW ME THE MONEY….I mean the unemployment….LOL”

I checked my benefits information this morning and my previous balance is showing again but I still have not received a letter yet. So they are updating things now.

mine is too. I called again today and they said it’s not fully ready yet to check back next week.

Im trying to figure out why they need a new system for us. Because I know this is not the 1st time retroactive payments have had to be made. Im so tired of hearing how we are not trying. I was on the same job for over 5 yrs, in upper management, and like all of you guys, have applied for every job imagianble. The sad thing is, the most common response, probably for all of us, is we are over qualified and that they would be worried we would leace once a better job came open. Most of the companies that say this, are usually companies with a high turn over rate. We all will get thru this, I hope!

I’m just wondering if the “new system” is nothing more than taking your EB, figuring out what your retro(backpay) will be since it has been, what 6 weeks now since we have received a check, maybe they wanted to wait till the law date(effective date), before they knew, what our account balance will be after the retro pay. The way I read the update page on the .gov site, the ones that exhausted tier 4, but had not yet received EB, would be the first to start receiving the benefits. My account was still showing all my info, except my balance was 0.00 till the bill was approved by the senate. I checked it a couple of days after it passed, and it was saying that I was no longer eligible to use “this system”(I’m assuming the internet page). But, I just went in to see if it would let me update my payment type, as I was still receiving paper checks, and was just going to change when it was stopped. It let me update my payment type and did send an email saying they had received the info. I don’t know, dealing with the government in any way, is confusing, because they don’t want to release any information, till they feel they have too. Just thinking out loud.

Dwayne

I exhausted my benefits in april i worked 20 plus years on my job before it went out of business i started looking for a job immediately that was 2 years ago i sent numerous resumes no one have called me what are we suppose too do without a income ????????

I called unemployment this morning, told them I was showing a balance on the benefits/ and update info page. I was told we would start getting our retro next week. She could not explain how this would happen. I will definately try to certify on Sun. my regular day to see if it happens.

Ok, this has got me wondering now. As of 3:00pm this afternoon, it’s still not letting have access to my view benefits page on the website. I wasn’t able to check after 3:00pm, so just wondering if anyone else who was already on EB, isn’t showing a balance or can’t get into their page?? I had only drawn about 4-5 weeks of EB, and was still receiving checks. When the letters came out, one said if I hadn’t already switched over to debit or direct deposit, it would no longer be required. I had access to my page, which was showing 0.00 balance, till the senate vote, and on the following Mon, it no longer let me into the account. Is that what happened to everybody else too??

Thanks

Dwayne

as of 4-16 i exhausted tier 4..i have access to my benefits page but balance is zero….i never transfered into eb…..dont know whats going on

No, I was allowed in starting this morning. Previously I was showing a 0 balance

Dewayne, the webite only allows you on at certain hours of the day and only certain days so maybe thats why!

I exhausted my Tier IV benefits last week (May 30, 2011). How do I find out if I am eligible for the extended 20 weeks? Or is this extension just for people who ran out in April? Should I re-apply for benefits?

Jane you should be eligible. It isn’t just for people who exhausted benefits in April

Has anyone been able to certify today? I tried to but it said I have exhausted my benefits. When I log in to view my benefits it still says zero. I never started Eb as my tier 4 expired April 30th. Anyone else in my boat?

I was able to certify on-line for last week. Still no info on the retro pymts.
Things seem to be moving along, if things happen like they did before April 16th money should be on my card by Tuesday. Will let yall know.

Tammy Jo – Were you already receiving EB before the trigger off? I was still on Tier 4 until April 30th, so I never transitioned over. I’m just wondering if maybe that’s why it’s not working for me and there is something I need to do to establish an EB claim before I can start the certification again. I have not received a letter from them, so I don’t know. Hopefully this week I will hear something.

Cyn- I have been unemployed since Jan. 09. I had exhausted my Tier 4 benefits and had read on line that I would get 16 weeks EB. Then in the mail I got two letters same day. One saying what I was eligible for EB, the other said after Apil 16th EB would end. So to make a long story short I got (1) pymt. on my EB before it ended. I would call unemployment office tomorrow (Mon. 6th) and see what they say if there is nothing to read on-line. This news feed helps also. Hope some of this is helpful.

cyn= im in the same boat,,exausted tier 4 4-30….never received eb….i believe next week we will receive a letter containing the info to transition into eb….

If I’m not mistaken, the TNDLWD site, stated that the ones who had finished tier IV, but had yet to receive EB, would be the first ones to start receiving. I’m sure we’ll know more this week, just the waiting and unsureness has everybody anxious, me included. May have everything to do with funds, I’m sure, when they triggered off, the State absorbed the money that was allocated into the general fund. May have to be moving some money around, before the next budget starts July 01.

Dwayne

Hi guys – please don’t copy and paste material from other websites onto these forums.

That material is probably copyrighted and I could get into trouble for hosting on my site.

If you wish to call attention to an article, please just write a short description and provide a link to the article.

thanks a lot.

Mike

By Post Author

Anyone having this trouble Last week it show my money back in the system now it wont let me back in the system it says im not allow to use the system

Hi Kat,
I too was able to log in and see my benefits a few days ago and now when I log in the system is telling me I am not eligible to use the system. When we were triggered off I had just received my first week of EB and the system told me a few days ago I had a balance of $5,225. Now I am blocked. Not sure what is going on.

Lynn from Hixson TN

Kat and Lynn, this is what has been happening to me. I had a balance till about 3 wks after the EB triggered off, then it went to 0.00. The same week that bill passed, I was unable to access my account and am being told that I’m not eligible to access this site. Now that I see that more than just me are having the same issue, I feel pretty safe in saying, it’s part of their rebuilding the application, like they said they were having to do.

The ones who had yet to receive a check for EB, will be the first up, then we will be next, I’m pretty sure. I feel better knowing that I wasn’t the only one experiencing this.

And sorry about the link Mike.

Dwayne

I was unable to log onto the site last week but, I was able to today and my balance is showing $0.00.

I think everything is fine, like I said in an earlier post, the wait is what is killing us, but when you deal with government, you learn one statement, “Hurry up and wait!” 🙂

Dwayne

I tried to certify this morning online and it said I had exhausted all of my benefits. I called the number it gave me for questions and the guy said that I would be eligible for EB as soon as the governor signed the bill. I explained to the guy that it according to the TN Legislation site the bill was signed on 6/1. The gentleman said that they had not been notified the governor had signed the bill yet, but as soon as they are notified letters would be sent out. You would think if the average person could go see that the bill had been signed then the Department of Labor could do the same. So who really knows what is going on!
I can’t imagine all of the people out there with children who haven’t received check since April. If the average American knows our country is in trouble then why don’t the politicians? It doesn’t matter what party you support….it seems like no one gets it. If we took their pay away from them and gave it to the people who were doing without right now….. I bet then they would get it. I know next election I will be choosing very carefully!

@frannie, I called employment 5 days ago and the lady I spoke with said that they had just got the email that the governor had signed the bill. You might want to call back and tell that guy he needs to check his email lol

they will tell you anything over the phone..when the President appoved another 13 of unemployment, i called and was told that i had exausted all benefits and that was it…..called back the very next day and was told i will tranisition automatically…….

I am about to end t4 so, do i need to call or do anything special? Will i automatic trans.? And can anyone tell me about the forms I am suppose to fill out weekly and how that works? Thanks

Finally showing a balance but still cant certify. I email John Partlow and he said they are still testing the system as of yesterday. Just like everyone else we need this money.

i really would like to know something anything the career center here in ripley is witholding information they don’t know what the heck is going on nobody knows anything this blog has been helpful thus far but i need answers i have bills to be paid there are no jobs here in Lauderdale County..OAN if i count up my weeks from april til now that will be my remaining balance will they send me one check for one lump sum or just start me where i left off and receive checks weekly?

@honeychile10, were all in the same boat, all I can do is guess and speculate, and at this point, I think that would do more harm than good. The Dept of Labor website still says that once we re-certify, a retro payment will be issued to cover the weeks back to April 16th, which I take will be a lump sum payment. Beyond that, I know nothing about what is going on but my speculation. We will receive the money, when, I have no idea.

Hope it’s soon. I do understand.

Dwayne

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