On Wednesday, January 2, 2013 President Obama signed the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012; the legislation included a provision to extend the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program for another year. The legislation extended the program until January 1, 2014. The U.S. Department of Labor recently notified the State of Utah that based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics; the three-month average total unemployment rate for Utah fell below the 6 percent threshold to remain on Tier II of the federal EUC program. As a result of the state’s 5.2 percent, three-month average total unemployment rate, the current maximum potential entitlement will decrease from 28 weeks to 14 weeks. While Utah’s unemployment rate has been well below 6 percent for several months, Utah remained on Tier II benefits because federal law required the state to remain “on” Tier II for a mandatory 13 weeks when Utah triggered onto Tier II back on September 23, 2012. The week ending December 22, 2012 was the last week in which Utah EUC claimants can exhaust Tier I benefits and establish Tier II eligibility. Under the phase-out provisions, claimants can continue to receive any remaining entitlement they have in Tier II after December 22, 2012, provided they are otherwise eligible.
The Utah Department of Workforce Services administers the unemployment insurance program in Utah. The Department is sending out notices to about 6,000 unemployed workers informing them that they may be eligible for continuation of EUC benefits due to the extension. The Department will continue to provide the claimants valuable re-employment, training, and educational opportunities, as well as other supportive services that may be available.
The federal EUC program originally became effective in July 2008 for unemployed workers who have exhausted their regular state unemployment benefits. The program has been extended and modified multiple times and is currently authorized to pay up to an additional 14 weeks of emergency federal benefits on top of the original 26 weeks of regular state unemployment benefits for a total of up to 40 weeks of benefits. Utah and ten other states have now triggered off EUC Tier II benefits because of lower unemployment rates. The EUC federal program paid approximately $24 million to unemployed Utah workers in emergency benefits during the past three months according to Bill Starks, DWS Unemployment Insurance Director.
For more information or file a claim for EUC benefits, visit http://jobs.utah.gov or contact the state UI Claims Center by phone: Salt Lake/South Davis Counties: 801-526-4400; Weber/North Davis Counties: 801-612-0877; Utah County: 801-375-4067; and elsewhere in the state or out-of-state: 888-848-0688. Department of Workforce Services
