Texas Workforce Commission www.texasworkforce.org

Weeks of Unemployment Benefits in Texas If you are eligible for an extension after you exhaust your regular unemployment benefits, TWC will mail you a letter about the additional benefits you may receive, so make sure TWC has your current address. You can find more information about the benefit extensions below.

Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) 100% federally funded

Extended Benefits (EB) & High Unemployment Period (HUP) EB

100% federally funded for some employers

Regular

Benefits

Up to 26 weeks

• Paid by employer taxes

EUC Tier 1

Up to 20 weeks

• Must exhaust regular benefits by December 22, 2012

• Benefits may be paid through December 29, 2012

EUC Tier 2

Up to 14 weeks

• Must exhaust Tier 1 benefits by December 22, 2012

• Benefits may be paid through December 29, 2012

EUC Tier 3

Up to 13 weeks

• Must exhaust Tier 2 benefits by December 22, 2012

• Benefits may be paid through December 29, 2012

EUC Tier 4

Up to 6 weeks*

• Must exhaust Tier 3 benefits by December 22, 2012

• Benefits may be paid through December 29, 2012

EB & HUP EB

Up to 20 weeks**

• Must exhaust all benefits by December 29, 2012

• Benefits may be paid through January 5, 2013

*TWC can take new EUC Tier 4 claims ONLY when the three month average total unemployment rate, as calculated by the U.S. Department of Labor, is 8.5% or higher.

**TWC can pay HUP EB, up to 7 weeks or 30% of total regular claim, ONLY when the three month average total unemployment rate, as calculated by the U.S. Department of Labor, is 8.0% or higher.

(View TWC’s current monthly unemployment rate.) (2/12)

Texas Workforce Commission www.texasworkforce.org

Understanding Extended Unemployment Benefits Two programs extend unemployment insurance (UI) benefits.

Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC); and

Extended Benefits (EB) – Regular EB and High Unemployment Period (HUP) EB.

Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) Details Texas currently pays EUC Tiers 1, 2, 3, and, because the state’s unemployment rate is above 8.5 percent, EUC Tier 4.

Amount Payable Tier 1 pays 20 weeks of benefits or 80 percent (80%) of your regular UI claim, whichever is less. Tier 2 pays 14 weeks of benefits or 54 percent (54%) of your regular UI claim, whichever is less. Tier 3 pays 13 weeks of benefits or 50 percent (50%) of your regular UI claim, whichever is less. Tier 4 pays 6 weeks of benefits or 24 percent (24%) of your regular UI claim, whichever is less, if

the three-month average total unemployment rate, as calculated by the U.S. Department of Labor, is 8.5 percent or higher. (View TWC’s current monthly unemployment rate)

Regardless of any balance in your EUC claim, you only have until December 29, 2012, to receive payment of those funds. Per federal law, the EUC program ends December 29, 2012.

Applying for EUC Benefits Tier 1—TWC mails you a EUC Tier 1 application to complete and return to TWC after you exhaust your regular benefits. Tiers 2, 3, and 4—if you are currently receiving benefits, you do not need to apply for EUC Tiers 2, 3 or 4. If you exhaust your prior EUC tier by December 22, 2012, TWC automatically adds the next available tier to your claim.

Note: Continue to submit your Payment Request, as required.

Current Address TWC notifies you by mail when you qualify for an extension, so make sure we have your correct

address. To verify your current address, log on to Unemployment Benefits Services, select Contact

Information from the Change My Profile menu, and follow instructions.

EUC Eligibility The eligibility requirements for EUC are set by federal law. If Congress extends the deadline to qualify for EUC, TWC will notify eligible claimants by mail. Tier 1— You must exhaust your regular UI benefits by December 22, 2012, and your EUC Tier 1 claim must begin December 23, 2012, or before. TWC determines your eligibility for the extension after you complete and return the EUC application to TWC.

Tiers 2 and Tier 3— You must exhaust your prior EUC tier by December 22, 2012.

Tier 4— You must exhaust your prior EUC tier by December 22, 2012, and the three-month average total unemployment rate in Texas, as calculated by the U.S. Department of Labor, must be 8.5% or higher.

(02/12)

Texas Workforce Commission www.texasworkforce.org

Other eligibility requirements:

your base period wages must equal or exceed 40 times your weekly benefit amount. (If your regular claim pays 26 weeks of benefits, you meet this qualification.)

you must have exhausted your regular benefits on your most recent claim, or the claim year must be expired.

your regular claim must have been filed on or after May 7, 2006.

you cannot be eligible for unemployment benefits on a new regular claim* in Texas, in any other state, or Canada.

* Note: if you are eligible for a new regular claim that pays less than your EUC claim, you may have options. TWC will mail you a letter if you have an option to continue your EUC claim.

Work Search and Availability Requirements If you are required to look for work, your work search and availability requirements increase while you are receiving EUC.

You may be required to submit your work search log.

You are required to seek and accept work you are capable of performing.

You are required to participate in special reemployment activities with the Workforce Solutions office, unless you have previously attended similar services.

EB Details Currently, Texas qualifies to pay Regular Extended Benefits (EB) and, because the state’s unemployment rate is above 8 percent, High Unemployment Period (HUP) EB.

Amount Payable Regular EB pays 13 weeks of benefits, or 50 percent (50%) of your regular claim, whichever is

less. High Unemployment Period (HUP) EB pays an additional 7 weeks, or 30 percent (30%) of your

regular claim, whichever is less of your regular claim, if the three-month average total unemployment rate, as calculated by the U.S. Department of Labor, is 8 percent or higher. (View TWC’s current monthly unemployment rate)

Regardless of any balance your have on your regular EB claim, you only have until January 5, 2013, to request payment of those funds. Per federal and state law, the EB program in Texas ends on January 5, 2013.

High Unemployment Period EB is only payable while the unemployment rate in Texas remains above 8 percent. Individuals will not receive benefits remaining in a HUP EB balance if the unemployment rate drops below 8 percent. TWC will notify individuals if the HUP EB benefits are no longer available.

Applying for Extended Benefits You do not apply for EB. If you exhaust all available benefits on your most recent claim by December 29, 2012, TWC automatically adds EB to your claim.

Note: Continue to submit your Payment Request, as required.

(2/12)

Texas Workforce Commission www.texasworkforce.org

EB Eligibility The eligibility requirements for EB are set by federal law. If Congress extends the deadline for EB, TWC will notify eligible claimants by mail.

Your most recent regular claim must have exhausted all available benefits by December 29, 2012. The last week Texas can pay EB is the week ending January 5, 2013. You can’t be eligible for unemployment benefits on a new regular claim in Texas, in any other

state, or Canada.

EB Work Search and Availability Requirements If you are required to look for work, your work search and availability requirements increase while you are receiving EB.

You must submit your EB work search log each time you request payment.

You also should seek and accept any work you are capable of that pays:

a gross weekly wage greater than your weekly benefit amount ;and at least the legal minimum wage.

If you do not make your minimum number of weekly work search activities, or, you do not submit your EB work search log, you will not receive benefits until you have:

worked for four weeks; and earned four times the weekly benefit amount of your claim.

Frequently Asked Questions 1. How will I know if I’m eligible for an extension when I run out of regular benefits?

Tier 1: If you run out of regular benefits by the deadline, TWC mails you a EUC application that you complete and return to TWC. If you are eligible for EUC, TWC mails you a letter showing the amount you are eligible for on your EUC claim.

Tier 2, 3, 4: If you run out of your prior EUC tier by the deadline, TWC automatically adds the next tier to your claim.

2. How will I know if I qualify for another extension?

TWC notifies you by mail if you qualify for another extension, so make sure we have your correct address.

3. I’ve exhausted all my benefits but I heard Congress recently passed another benefits extension law. Can I get more benefits?

No. Congress extended the deadline that allows TWC to take new EUC or EB claims for individuals who had not yet qualified for these benefits. Congress did not add additional weeks for individuals who have already exhausted all levels of benefits.

4. Can I apply for an extension before exhausting my current benefits?

No. You must exhaust each level (Tier) of benefits before applying for an extension.

5. Is there a possibility of more extensions?

Congress can enact legislation to create further extensions at any time. If another extension occurs, that affects your eligibility, after you exhaust your benefits, we will notify you by mail.

(2/12)