Unemployment Insurance Extensions

UPDATE 3/16/2012:  Federal Unemployment Benefits Extended

Recently passed federal legislation extended the time period to file for additional federal unemployment benefits (EUC08) under Tier One, Tier Two, and Tier Three through December 29, 2012. The legislation did not add any additional benefits but rather extended the time period for claimants to file and receive benefits under the federal programs. 

This legislation also added new eligibility requirements as shown below, including work search requirements and participation in reemployment services and eligibility assessment activities.  These new requirement apply to anyone currently receiving EUC08 as well as newly established EUC08 claims.

EUC08 Eligibility Requirements

• You must be registered for employment services with the state agency within the state you reside.
• You must seek work which is appropriate for your skills, abilities, and the geographic area in which you are seeking work.
• You must keep a detailed written record of your work search.
• You must provide your Work Search Record upon request; and
• You may be scheduled to report in person to a Career Center for a reemployment and eligibility assessment. A letter will be mailed to you explaining when to report.

This new legislation also modifies the thresholds that a state must meet in order to remain eligible under the EUC08 program and reduces the available benefits established after September 2, 2012 for EUC08 Tier 1 and Tier 3 benefits.  

The chart below shows updated deadlines for establishing and receiving federally funded benefits.

Benefit Program	Weeks Available (Lesser of)	Deadline to Establish Benefits (must be effective by)	Last Payable Week
EUC08 Tier 1	20 weeks or 80%	Week beginning 12-23-12	Week ending 12-29-12
EUC08 Tier 2	14 weeks or 54%	Week beginning 12-23-12	Week ending 12-29-12
EUC08 Tier 3	13 weeks or 50%	Week beginning 12-23-12	Week ending 12-29-12
EUC08 Tier 4	6 weeks or 24%	Week beginning 02-19-12	Week ending 12-29-12
State EB	20 weeks or 80%	Week beginning 04-01-12	Week ending 04-07-12

EUC08 Tier 1 benefits established 09-02-12 or later will be the lesser of 14 weeks or 54 percent of the maximum benefit amount (MBA) of your original unemployment insurance (UI) claim.

EUC08 Tier 2 benefits will no longer be added beginning 05-27-12, if the three-month unemployment rate drops below six percent.

EUC08 Tier 3 benefits:

• Will no longer be added beginning 05-27-12, if the three-month unemployment rate drops below seven percent.
• Will be added at the lesser of nine weeks or 35 percent of the MBA of your original UI claim beginning 09-02-12, if the three-month unemployment rate remains at seven percent or above.

If EUC08 Tier 1 is established or Tier 3 added prior to 09-02-12, the MBA will not be decreased by any subsequent change in the Tier calculations.

State EB will not be available after April 7, 2012, as Missouri no longer meets the criteria to continue the program, as established under Missouri Statute 288.062.1(2)(b).

No benefits can be paid out for any weeks ending after the “Last Payable Week” as show above, even if there is a balance on the claim.

Missouri EUC08 Tier Four Benefits Ended
EUC08 Fourth Tier benefits are no longer available if EUC08 Third Tier benefits are exhausted in any week ending after February 18, 2012. Under federal legislation, EUC08 Tier Four benefits are available to eligible individuals in states where the three-month average, seasonally adjusted total unemployment rate is at least 8.5 percent. Missouri's three-month average has fallen below 8.5 percent, and therefore Tier Four benefits cannot be established after February 19, 2012. Claimants with an EUC08 Tier-Four balance as of the week of February 19, 2012 can claim the remainder of their EUC08 balance through the week ending December 29, 2012.

Overview

EUC08

The Emergency Unemployment Compensation 2008 (EUC08) program is a federally funded program provided by the U.S. Congress.  There are four tiers of EUC08 benefits available to states who meet the qualifying criteria.  The first payable week for EUC08 was the week of July 6-12, 2008.

To be eligible for EUC08 benefits, the regular unemployment claim must be exhausted or expired after May 1, 2007.  There cannot be eligibility for unemployment insurance (UI) on a new claim or on a claim in another state or Canada.

The last date to establish an EUC08 claim or have a tier added is the week beginning December 23, 2012.  This is also the last week EUC08 benefits can be paid, no matter what the EUC08 balance is. Missouri's three-month average total unemployment rate is below 8.5 percent, therefore EUC08 Fourth-Tier benefits are no longer available if EUC08 Third-Tier benefits were not exhausted prior to February 18, 2012. Fourth-Tier benefits established by February 19, 2012 can continue to be paid until December 29, 2012.

NOTE:

• In most circumstances, regular Missouri unemployment insurance (UI) benefits must be exhausted before EUC08 benefits can be received. Federal legislation signed into law on July 22, 2010 includes a provision to allow a claimant to continue receiving EUC08 benefits instead of regular UI benefits if the following criteria are met:
  • The regular Missouri benefit year claim ended July 24, 2010 or later.
  • The claimant has established an EUC08 claim based on the regular claim that ended July 24, 2010 or later.
  • The claimant is eligible for a regular Missouri claim effective July 25, 2010 or later.
  • The weekly benefit amount (WBA) on the regular claim is at least 25 percent less than the WBA on the EUC08 claim.

If the above criteria are met, benefits will continue to be paid out under the EUC08 claim.  The regular claim will remain established for use upon exhaustion of EUC08, or the EUC08 end date, providing the regular claim benefit year is still in effect.

State Extended Benefits (EB)

• State EB provides up to 20 weeks of additional benefits to claimants who exhaust all Tiers of EUC08 benefits. The deadline to establish a state EB claim is the week beginning April 1, 2012.
• The last week state EB can be paid is the week ending April 7, 2012, even if there is a balance on the state EB claim.
• Missouri no longer meets the criteria established under Missouri statute 288.062.1(2)(b) to remain on the State EB program.

Federal Additional Compensation (FAC) - Details

Frequently Asked Questions

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EUC08 First-Tier Details

History:
The Emergency Unemployment Compensation 2008 (EUC08) Program is a federally-funded program provided by the U.S. Congress. The first payable week for EUC08 was the week of July 6-12, 2008. The EUC08 First-Tier pays 80 percent of the maximum benefit amount of a claimant’s regular unemployment insurance claim, or 20 weeks of benefits, whichever is less.

EUC08 First Tier benefits established 09-02-12 or later will be the lesser of 14 weeks or 54 percent of the maximum benefit amount (MBA) of your original unemployment insurance (UI) claim.

How to Apply for EUC08 First-Tier:
You must call your Regional Claims Center:
Jefferson City 573-751-9040
Kansas City 816-889-3101
Springfield 417-895-6851
St. Louis 314-340-4950
Outside Local Calling Area 800-320-2519

When you call, take the appropriate menu option and be prepared to provide the following information:

• Your current address and phone number,
• Your last employer since you last claimed benefits. This includes part-time or temporary employment. Be prepared to provide employer’s name, address, and last day worked),
• If you worked out of state in the last 18 months (be prepared to provide employer names, addresses, and dates of employment).

Also, you will be asked if you have:

• Filed for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits against another state since you last claimed Missouri benefits,
• Changed bank accounts (if you use the direct deposit method of payment).

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EUC08 Second-Tier Details

History:
The U.S. Congress expanded the Emergency Unemployment Compensation 2008 (EUC08) program to provide additional benefits to claimants exhausting EUC08 First-Tier. The EUC08 Second-Tier provides 13 weeks, or 50 percent of the maximum benefit amount (MBA), whichever is less. The EUC08 Second-Tier benefits are not payable for weeks prior to November 23, 2008.

Congress modified EUC08 Second-Tier, effective November 8, 2009, to now provide 14 weeks, or 54 percent of your regular unemployment insurance claim’s MBA, whichever is less. This additional week of benefits is not payable for weeks prior to November 8, 2009.

EUC08 Second Tier benefits will no longer be added beginning 05-27-12, if the three-month unemployment rate drops below six percent.

The EUC08 Second-Tier benefits are added to your claim automatically after EUC08 First-Tier exhausts. You do not need to apply for EUC08 Second-Tier benefits. The EUC08 Second-Tier will not be added to any EUC08 claims exhausting with payments for any weeks ending after December 29, 2012.

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EUC08 Third-Tier Details

History:
The U.S. Congress expanded the Emergency Unemployment Compensation 2008 (EUC08) program in November 2009 to provide additional benefits to claimants exhausting EUC08 Second-Tier. The EUC08 Third-Tier provides 13 weeks, or 50 percent of your regular unemployment insurance (UI) claim’s maximum benefit amount, whichever is less. The EUC08 Third-Tier benefits are not payable for weeks prior to November 8, 2009.

EUC08 Third Tier benefits will no longer be added beginning 05-27-12, if the three-month unemployment rate drops below seven percent.

If the three-month unemployment rate remains at seven percent or above, beginning 09-02-12 or later, EUC08 Third Tier benefits will be added at the lesser of nine weeks or 35 percent of the MBA of your original UI claim.

The EUC08 Third-Tier benefits are added to your claim automatically after EUC08 Second-Tier exhausts. You do not need to apply for EUC08 Third-Tier benefits. The EUC08 Third-Tier will not be added to any EUC08 claims exhausting with payments for any weeks ending after December 29, 2012.

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EUC08 Fourth-Tier Details

History:
Under federal legislation, EUC08 Fourth-Tier benefits are no longer available if EUC08 Third-Tier benefits are exhausted in any week ending after February 18, 2012. The U.S. Congress expanded the Emergency Unemployment Compensation 2008 (EUC08) program in November 2009 to provide additional benefits to claimants exhausting EUC08 Third-Tier, as long as Missouri's three-month average total unemployment rate was below 8.5 percent. The EUC08 Fourth-Tier provided six weeks, or 24 percent of the regular unemployment insurance (UI) claim’s maximum benefit amount, whichever was less. It was not necessary to apply for EUC08 Fourth-Tier, as these benefits were automatically added when the Third-Tier benefits exhausted.

The EUC08 Fourth-Tier benefits were not payable for weeks prior to November 8, 2009.

Missouri's three-month average total unemployment rate has fallen below 8.5 percent, thus the EUC08 Fourth-Tier will not be added to any EUC08 claims exhausted with payments for any weeks ending after February 18, 2012. Claimants with an EUC08 Fourth-Tier balance as of the week of February 19, 2012, can claim the remainder of their EUC08 balance through the week ending December 29, 2012.

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State Extended Benefits (EB) – Details

History:
State legislation was passed allowing Missouri to begin paying state Extended Benefits (EB) effective February 22, 2009. The federal government pays 100 percent for these state EB benefits unless the parent claim is based on wages from a governmental entity or Indian Tribe. If there are wages from a local, city, county, state, or federal employer or an Indian Tribe in the base period of the parent claim, the employer is charged 100 percent of the EB.

State EB is available until April 7, 2012, as Missouri no longer meets the criteria established under Missouri statute 288.062.1(2)(b).

No benefits can be paid out for any weeks ending after the program ends, even if there is a balance on the claim.

If you live out of state, the state in which you reside may affect the number of weeks you can receive EB.

If you are receiving state EB, special work search requirements apply. Please review the "Missouri Extended Benefits Program" (MODES-4616) instructional sheet for details.

The last week a state EB claim can be established is the week beginning April 1, 2012, as Missouri no longer meets the criteria established under the Missouri Statute 288.062.1(2)(b). The last week EB can be paid is this same week.

How to Apply for state EB:
You must call your Regional Claims Center:
Jefferson City 573-751-9040
Kansas City 816-889-3101
Springfield 417-895-6851
St. Louis 314-340-4950
Outside Local Calling Area 800-320-2519

When you call, take the appropriate menu option and be prepared to provide the following information:

• Your current address and phone number,
• Your most recent employer since you last claimed benefits. This includes part-time or temporary work (be prepared to provide employer’s name, address, and last day worked),
• If you worked out of state in the last 18 months (be prepared to provide employer names, addresses, and dates of employment).

Also, you will be asked if you have:

• Filed for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits against another state since you last claimed Missouri benefits,
• Changed bank accounts (if you use the direct deposit method of payment).

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Federal Additional Compensation (FAC) - Details

As a part of the federal stimulus legislation, individuals receiving unemployment benefits also received an additional $25 weekly benefit amount. This payment began February 28, 2009 and ended with the week ending December 11, 2010.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happens when I run out of regular unemployment insurance (UI) benefits?

Contact your Regional Claims Center by telephone and take the appropriate menu option to file for extended benefits. If your claim expires while you are receiving regular UI benefits, you may qualify for a new regular claim. If not, then you may qualify for the Emergency Unemployment Compensation 2008 (EUC08) extension. In most circumstances, regular Missouri unemployment insurance (UI) benefits must be exhausted before EUC08 benefits can be received. Federal legislation signed into law on July 22, 2010 includes a provision to allow a claimant to continue receiving EUC08 benefits instead of regular UI benefits if the following criteria is met:

• The regular Missouri benefit year claim ended July 24, 2010 or later.
• The claimant has established an EUC08 claim based on the regular claim that ended July 24, 2010 or later.
• The claimant is eligible for a regular Missouri claim effective July 25, 2010 or later.
• The weekly benefit amount (WBA) on the regular claim is at least 25 percent less than the WBA on the EUC08 claim.

If the above criteria are met, benefits will continue to be paid out under the EUC08 claim.  The regular claim will remain established for use upon exhaustion of EUC08 or the program end date, providing the regular claim benefit year is still in effect.

If you exhaust benefits for the EUC08 extension, and Missouri is in an extended benefit (EB) period, you may qualify for state EB.

How will I know if I qualify for further benefits?

When you exhaust your benefits or another extension occurs for which you may qualify, the DES will notify you by mail. Please keep the agency informed of your current address.

I was on an extension and was told I qualify for a new claim. The weekly benefit amount (WBA) is lower than my extension. Can I stay on the extension?

No. In most circumstances, regular Missouri unemployment insurance (UI) benefits must be exhausted before EUC08 benefits can be received. Federal legislation signed into law on July 22, 2010 includes a provision to allow a claimant to continue receiving EUC08 benefits instead of regular UI benefits if the following criteria are met:

• The regular Missouri benefit year claim ended July 24, 2010 or later.
• The claimant has established an EUC08 claim based on the regular claim that ended July 24, 2010 or later.
• The claimant is eligible for a regular Missouri claim effective July 25, 2010 or later.
• The weekly benefit amount (WBA) on the regular claim is at least 25 percent less than the WBA on the EUC08 claim.

If the above criteria are met, benefits will continue to be paid out under the EUC08 claim.  The regular claim will remain established for use upon exhaustion of EUC08 or the program end date, providing the regular claim benefit year is still in effect.

Can I apply for an extension before my benefits exhaust?

No. As in question 3, if you have regular UI benefits remaining, you must use those first, or have an expired claim, before an extension can be filed.

Can I call now to find out if I may be eligible for an extension in the future?

No. The extensions available start and end at various times. This is determined either through the legislation that created the extension, or by a reduction in the unemployment rate. The DES cannot determine your future eligibility until you either exhaust your current eligibility or your claim expires.

Is there a possibility of more extensions?

The U.S. Congress or the Missouri legislature can enact legislation to create further extensions. If another extension occurs after you exhaust your benefits, the DES will notify you by mail if you qualify. Please keep the agency informed of your current address.

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