The bill will help just over 10,000 people in Maine who had completely drawn their current level of benefits and would have been able to begin another level of benefits if not for the June 2 end date.

What the New Law Means For You

Continuation of EUC and EB programs through November 30, 2010 – For unemployed workers who have not run out of all tiers of EUC or EB benefits, the program will restore or continue those benefits for workers otherwise eligible. Benefit payments under EUC and EB will be paid retroactively for any weeks disrupted due to the pending legislation if you meet all other eligibility requirements.

Continuation until early December 2010 of $25 Federal Additional Compensation (FAC) payments to any active claimant with a Benefit Year that started prior to June 2, 2010. Workers with new initial unemployment claims filed after June 2, 2010 will not include the $25 FAC payment.

There are no new weeks of benefits/tiers included in the legislation. That means that workers who ran out of all benefits available to them through EUC or EB programs will not receive any additional weeks as a result of this proposal.

 

What Happens Next

The process is different depending on the program or tier of benefits you were in. All workers identifed as potentially eligible for the extensions will be mailed a notice with instructions explaining what they need to do to sign-up or continue collecting benefits under EUC or EB. The following provides additional detail on the plan moving forward.

• If you ran out of your 26 weeks of Regular Unemployment benefits and have not signed-up for Emergency Unemployment Compensation – You will receive an application                       for Emergency Unemployment Compensation in the mail early next week if the legislation becomes law. Complete the application and mail it back to the address listed on the form. If you are eligible for EUC, a representative from the unemployment claims center will try to reach you by phone to take any applicable weekly unemployment claims. If they are unable to reach you by phone, they will mail you weekly claim cards for those weeks. You cannot file retroactive weekly claims online or through the automated IVR phone system.

• If you ran out of benefits under EUC Tier 1 or Tier 2 – You will not need to fill out a new application. A representative from the unemployment claims center will try to reach you by phone to take any applicable weekly unemployment claims. If they are unable to reach you by phone, they will mail you weekly claim cards for those weeks. You cannot file retroactive weekly claims online or through the automated IVR phone system.

• If you ran out of benefits under EUC Tier 3 – If you ran out of EUC Tier 3 benefits after June 5 you will receive an application for EB in the mail early next week if the legislation becomes law. Complete the application and mail it back to the address listed on the form. You will also receive EB weekly claim forms to send in to qualify for any benefits disrupted because of the pending legislation. You cannot file retroactive weekly claims online or through the automated IVR phone system.

• If your EB benefits stopped because of the pending legislation – You will not need to fill out a new application. You will receive weekly EB claim forms to complete and return. You cannot file retroactive weekly claims online or through the automated IVR phone system.

 

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Unemployment Bill to Benefit Thousands of Laid-off Maine Workers       Maine.gov

The Maine Department of Labor is moving quickly to notify thousands of Mainers affected by legislation passed in Congress today restoring federally funded unemployment benefits for laid-off workers, but the agency cautioned that funds will take a while to reach claimants.

President Obama is widely expected to sign the measure later today, reauthorizing the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) and Extended Benefits (EB) programs. The Maine Department of Labor began efforts last week to prepare for the anticipated extension and will send out notices early next week to the nearly 10,000 workers potentially eligible for benefits under the programs.

The new law continues the Federal EUC and EB programs through November 30, 2010. Benefit payments under EUC and EB will be paid retroactively for any weeks disrupted for claimants who meet all other eligibility requirements. The measure also continues until early December the $25 Federal Additional Compensation (FAC) payments to any active claimant with a Benefit Year that started prior to June 2, 2010. Workers with new initial unemployment claims filed after June 2, 2010 will not include the $25 FAC payment.

There are no new weeks of benefits/tiers included in the legislation. That means that workers who ran out of all benefits available to them through EUC or EB programs will not receive any additional weeks as a result of this proposal.

Claimants will receive notices in the mail next week. Each mailing will include information on steps to take in order to sign-up or continue collecting benefits under the EUC or EB programs. For some workers, that will mean filling out an enclosed application or weekly claim cards and mailing it back to the Maine Department of Labor. Simply receiving a notice or application does not mean a worker is eligible for benefits.

“The quickest and easiest way for workers to reopen their claim is to complete the materials that come in the mail,” said Maine Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman.

Maine law provides up to 26 weeks of Regular Unemployment Compensation to workers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own.              The Emergency Unemployment Compensation program has added up to 47 weeks of benefits, with up to an additional 13 weeks under the Extended Benefits program. Since the start of the recession, the federally funded unemployment programs have provided over $300 million in benefits to laid-off Maine workers. A recent study by Moody’s Analytics found that every dollar spent on unemployment benefits generates an overall return of $1.61 for the economy.

“The programs have served as an economic stabilizer for communities hardest hit by the recession,” said Fortman. “We are working quickly to ensure benefits are quickly restored for eligible claimants.”

More information about the extensions are posted on the Maine Department of Labor Unemployment Benefits Web site, www.fileforui.com.