General EUC Discussion - Ongoing

deetann wrote:Can someone tell me how many weeks of normal and extended benefits are available to someone who filed January 2011??

Thanks

Go here in our forum for the first posts where I give a run-down of the sequence of benefits:

https://unemployed-florida.forumotion.com/t22-fl-sequence-of-unemployment-benefits

Then subtract 3 weeks off the regular benefits, 23 instead of 26, as a result of the recent law sign by our illustrious Rick Scott, who will give that money to corporations in tax breaks. Then subtract any weeks that come after December of this year, since all the extended programs expire at that time, and Congress has not lifted a finger to do anything about that, and they probably won't.

All that applies only if you qualified for the max benefits in the first place. If your benefits statement adds up to fewer than 23 weeks (because you didn't have enough work time and wages put into the system within the qualifying quarters you worked), then any possible EUC benefits (federal) will be reduced by that same proportion.

I just learned that I received my final payment (for one week) of EB. When I FINALLY got through to the Workforce Innovation office (after trying for over a week--I finally figured out to just call the Tallahassee number--(LONG DISTANCE!!!) and I was able to speak to someone), the representative told me that there would be no more benefits....I've been unemployed since December 24, 2009---making it approx. 1.5 years so far---How is it that there are no more benefits when I kept hearing about those '99-ers' a few months back???? I certainly wouldn't have reached that "99-er" point until I had been unemployed much longer than now....AND THEN, she tells me that our governor is working on cancelling those EBs for everyone by January 2012!!!! ...And we are at an ALL TIME HIGH of unemployment...I believe that last figure was something like 10.6%!!!!

...What the heck is a person to do when they've followed all of the rules and has been feverishly trying to find work daily for over 2 years now???!!!!! I live in the Cape Canaveral area and I'm a former Kennedy Space Center employee, because I was laid off, like so many others from there and I find myself sinking faster and faster.....If something doesn't happen soon, my son and I will be living on the streets!!! ...Is this the they way they want it now???? To hell with hard-working people who have been trying to live the American dream and survive day-to-day. How does a person like myself with over 20 years of government (state & federal) service experience and an Associate of Arts degree in Information Technology/Visual Communications and is a single mother, end up homeless???!!!!! So I guess I'll need to apply for Welfare now??? ...And if I qualify, how much less will I be expected to live on then? We're barely surviving now!!!! ...I bet the suicide rate has also risen as a result of this recession also!!!

exotiq wrote:I just learned that I received my final payment (for one week) of EB. ...---How is it that there are no more benefits when I kept hearing about those '99-ers' a few months back???? I certainly wouldn't have reached that "99-er" point until I had been unemployed much longer than now....AND THEN, she tells me that our governor is working on cancelling those EBs for everyone by January 2012!!!! ...And we are at an ALL TIME HIGH of unemployment...I believe that last figure was something like 10.6%!!!!

...What the heck is a person to do when they've followed all of the rules and has been feverishly trying to find work daily for over 2 years now???!!!!! ...

I'm sorry to hear of your situation, and especially that the end of your benefits came as a surprise. Your'e going through the same disbelief and anguish that millions of exhaustees went through, most starting around the spring of 2010, when the first early wave of benefits was running out for the so-called "99ers." But "99" is a bit of mythology, since many, many of those exhaustees never got 99 weeks or even close to that.

Since you've been unemployed since 2009, you are no doubt familiar with the frustrating stops and starts of the various benefits segments. If you haven't looked at our link here on this site about the sequence of benefits, check this page:
https://unemployed-florida.forumotion.com/t22-fl-sequence-of-unemployment-benefits

I haven't updated that entry for some time, since many on this board have no longer been getting benefits, and the last change was last fall when Congress did the no taxes for the rich trade for extending benefit eligibility for EUC and former governor Crist signed an executive order to accept the fed money for EB. Since that time both Congress, in the House especially (HR 1745 and S904), and our illustrious Rick the P--- Scott have done nothing but try to eliminate benefits altogether, starting with reducing the length of regular benefits in the last legislative session.

You will also find a section on this site about how to calculate your benefits. The most likely reason you did not receive a full 99 weeks has to do with the calculation that is done for everyone based on your quarters worked and money made prior to your unemployment. If you had 26 weeks of "regular" benefits to start, that was the max calculation. But if you got fewer than 26 weeks (this year it was changed to fewer weeks linked to the unemployment rate, could go as low as 12 weeks), then the subsequent weeks of EUC tiers and EB weeks would also be shortened.

If you did have a max calculation and originally got 26 weeks to start, I'm not sure why you would be cut off early, unless Rick Scott (gag) recently reversed the executive order done by Crist. I had heard he might do that, but I haven't followed the news on that so closely lately.

If none of these is the case, you might want to make sure they didn't make a mistake. Did you get 20 weeks of EB at last count? Or did they say if was being cut off prematurely?

Even if you figure out why you got fewer weeks, none of this helps your rage about all this, and believe me, I understand. Besides this site, I still keep in touch when I can with many others online who went through the early "wars" of waiting for Congress to renew benefits, etc., and now so many of those are not even online, or are clinging to whatever they can to survive. Some have found work, like myself, but it pays so much less than prior to the recession that it is pathetic. (I'm also going to school on federal loans and a WIA grant until December.)

There are a few things available to you that might not have been while you were on unemployment benefits. If you couldn't get food stamps previously, you probably can now. And there is usually a bit more help for EBT cash for single mothers, I think, not sure about the details. Also help for phone and electric in some cases.

Check out the links within this site for help with those things, as well as health care. And here are two more links that might help a bit:

Open Congress's Benefit Wiki:
http://www.opencongress.org/wiki/Project:Benefit_Wiki

This page linked from NELP has links for things like TANF assistance for families, etc.:
http://www.careeronestop.org/ReEmployment/MoreBenefitsandAssistance/BenefitsandAssistance.aspx

Be prepared, you will probably be even more angry when you discover the new rules Rick Scott has put in place for random testing of not only TANF (welfare) recipients but also state employees (himself and legislators excluded, I'm sure).

Good luck to you, and please don't despair. There are millions out here in your same shoes, and help sometimes comes from unexpected places. Try to keep your net connection; if not at home, most libraries have computers, and even food kitchens, like the place I volunteer at one day a week, sometimes have computer access.

Thanks for the tips. I appreciate any and all resources. Yeah, I heard about the new drug testing crap that Scott signed into law....Hopefully it fails because I don't appreciate having to pay for a drug test when I'm literally broke now! Even when you have to drug test for a job, the employer pays for it! What a jerk! I still can't believe he won the election. I'm thoroughly convinced that FL with it's predominantly Republican/Conservative government is completely corrupt! Everyone knew about Scott's shady past and yet the morons voted for him anyway!!! ...That's the one thing that sucks about democracy sometimes, when too many dumb-asses vote for the wrong guy, the rest of us have to suffer and pay the price alongside the imbeciles who voted for him---I wonder if they're happy now, since misery loves company?!

Unemployment changes coming August 1: No more filing by phone
Agency for Workforce Innovation, Florida economy, Uncategorized, Unemployment — posted by jim stratton on July, 27 2011 11:37 AM
Discuss This: Comments(1) | Add to del.icio.us | Digg it Starting Monday, Floridians will see changes in the way unemployment is administered.

Here are the highlights:

First-time and continuing unemployment claims will be accepted only over the Internet. No more filing by phone, though the state will man a hotline to answer questions about the filing process. The state figures this will save about $4.7 million annually in administrative costs.

While filing by phone can be a lesson in frustration — claimants sometimes get sucked into a telephonic black hole — not everyone has the ability to jump online. Roughly 25 percent of Floridians surveyed by Scarborough Research lack internet access. The firm didn’t cover the entire state — mostly the metro areas — but that figure likely has some applicability statewide.

If so, it means there’s a pretty big chunk of the population that can’t simply open a laptop and surf the net. Those folks, if they’re applying for unemployment, will need to use a public library or visit one of their regional workforce boards to claim weeks.

Claimants will also be required to contact at least five potential employers every week and turn over that information when they claim their weeks online. The state said earlier this year it would begin conducting spot checks to ensure people collecting unemployment are actively looking for work.

New claimants will have to complete an online skills review in order to receive benefits. The results will be used by counselors at local workforce offices to help claimants look for new work.

Lastly, severance pay rules are about to change. If a claimant’s weekly severance pay is equal to or greater than the weekly unemployment benefit — $275 — the claimant will not get benefits that week. A severance package will not affect the total amount of benefits someone will be eligible for.

The changes are part of an unemployment reform package pushed by Gov. Rick Scott and passed this year by the Florida Legislature. The same bill also cut the total number of weeks available under the state unemployment program and made it easier for employers to challenge a laid-off worker’s benefits claim.

White House petition for the 99ers

https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/%21/petition/extend-unemployment-benefits-past-99-weeks-all-long-term-unemployed-americans-99ers-and-any/xTXWP818?utm_source=wh.gov&utm_medium=shorturl&utm_campaign=shorturl

For those who are sick of petitions that go nowhere, this is really the only petition that matters. The official White House petition site has a quota of 5000 signatures before any official response. Right now there are only 102 signatures as of 9/24/11. I think we have more than 102 99ers in need of acknowledgment from the President right now. If you agree, follow the link to add your signature.

First, I am new to this forum. Thanks to the moderator for providing this site to share accurate information with those of us who don't have 2 hours to be placed on hold to call the powers that be. I am on Tier II of EUC in Florida. My Tier II segment will expire sometime in Nov 2011 so I should be OK to automatically go into Tier III as it falls prior to 12/31/11. Does anyone know what will happen after 12/31/11? Will my Tier II continue into 2012 for the full 13 weeks? Will it then automatically go to Tier IV for another 6 weeks? I have not seen anything that takes a FL EUC recipient beyond 12/31/11. What about the "99 weeks" that I heard about? If I could be eligible for a total of 99 weeks, it would take me into August of 2012. Assuming I will get 6 weeks of Tier IV benefits into 2012, what happens after that? Does it end completely or can I try nto file for EB? I appreciate any info regarding this.

Anyone heard any news about extending benefits past the Jan 12 2012, deadline I am sure that will effect a lot of us.

exotiq wrote:I just learned that I received my final payment (for one week) of EB. When I FINALLY got through to the Workforce Innovation office (after trying for over a week--I finally figured out to just call the Tallahassee number--(LONG DISTANCE!!!) and I was able to speak to someone), the representative told me that there would be no more benefits....I've been unemployed since December 24, 2009---making it approx. 1.5 years so far---How is it that there are no more benefits when I kept hearing about those '99-ers' a few months back???? I certainly wouldn't have reached that "99-er" point until I had been unemployed much longer than now....AND THEN, she tells me that our governor is working on cancelling those EBs for everyone by January 2012!!!! ...And we are at an ALL TIME HIGH of unemployment...I believe that last figure was something like 10.6%!!!!

...What the heck is a person to do when they've followed all of the rules and has been feverishly trying to find work daily for over 2 years now???!!!!!

I live in the Cape Canaveral area and I'm a former Kennedy Space Center employee, because I was laid off, like so many others from there and I find myself sinking faster and faster.....If something doesn't happen soon, my son and I will be living on the streets!!! ...Is this the they way they want it now???? To hell with hard-working people who have been trying to live the American dream and survive day-to-day. How does a person like myself with over 20 years of government (state & federal) service experience and an Associate of Arts degree in Information Technology/Visual Communications and is a single mother, end up homeless???!!!!! So I guess I'll need to apply for Welfare now??? ...And if I qualify, how much less will I be expected to live on then? We're barely surviving now!!!! ...I bet the suicide rate has also risen as a result of this recession also!!!

[Moderator's note: Please forgive me for editing your post; I fixed the formatting only, so that people can see your own entry separate from the quoted text; I never normally touch anyone's actual posting. If my correction is not accurate, let me know.--nancym ]

I no longer consider myself an "unwilling expert" on Florida's unemployment, since it's been quite a while since my own benefits ran out. But I try to keep up on the newest developments politically, and my disgust with what Rick Scott is trying to do with Florida's unemployed knows no bounds.

I see that he has reorganized AWI to be part of the Dept of Economic Opportunity now. Whether that in itself is a good thing I have no idea; my complaint is about the indignity with which he regards the unemployed.

As far as what happens after December, there appears to be a maximum of ONE WEEK ONLY in 2012 available to any who may qualify. See this link if you haven't checked here already:
http://www.floridajobs.org/frequently-asked-questions-directory/frequently-asked-questions/category/87bc07ed-6d09-425a-9a56-7624e25b4b66/x

EB (not the same as the EUC Tiers I-!V) is an old state enabled program using normally 50% federal money, except for the last few years under the stimulus bill and the bill from last year that extended the provision that states could get 100% for state EB. However, the ONLY reason Florida had any money for EB for 2011 is because exiting governor Charlie Crist bypassed the determination of Florida's backwoods legislature to refuse the federal money and Crist used his executive order to accept the money for EB for Florida's unemployed.

That money runs out on January 7, and so does the federal law that allows for the 100% allowance for the states. So BOTH a new federal law AND new action on the part of Florida's legislature would be required to provide any new EB benefits. (Don't hold your breath, under the current political circumstances!)

As for EUC, the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program (the four Tiers), that program eligibility ends December 31, 2011, and will be completely phased out by June 9, 2012. That doesn't mean everyone will be able to go for all their tiers up until June. For those who qualify for any particular tier before Dec 31 this year, they will continue into 2012 as far as that particular tier takes them, just that one tier. But if your tier ends after Dec 31, you do NOT go into the next tier in 2012; at that point your EUC is over.

As for any new legislation to extend either of these programs on the federal level or the state level, those are basically being ignored in this Congress, with the exception of efforts to pass the Jobs Act, efforts to help the "99ers" with HR 589, and a few other similar laws that can't get out of John Boehner's committees. As for Florida's legislature, you won't have an opportunity to vote them all out until next year. And unfortunately, Scott is not running then.

As for what you can do when those benefits end, unfortunately you'll have to deal with all the rage and difficulty all of us who have run out of benefits have also had to endure, using whatever help you can find from wherever, including perhaps some of the links on this forum and other sources. The jobs for some occupations are at least a teeny-weeny bit more plentiful than back in 2010, but even those don't pay much, with the possible exception of some IT jobs. As you know, many jobs that were full-time are now temporary or contract only.

But I hope you all direct at least some of that anger toward getting involved with what is happening politically in this state and in our country. Occupy Wall Street could use a few more people; so could Occupy Miami and Occupy Tampa and Occupy Orlando. Or help get decent people elected next time. Or run for office yourself if it moves you. But if we don't all do at least something, we're all going to go down the drain together.

A pair of bills for extension of current programs has been introduced for the coming session in Congress. Please post any comments under our section for new legislation. My recent post about these bills is here:
https://unemployed-florida.forumotion.com/t270-new-legislation-for-2012#5293

Anyone have new information on this bill extending Euc tiers and Eb benefits thru 2012?

nanny wrote:Anyone have new information on this bill extending Euc tiers and Eb benefits thru 2012?

Hi Nanny,

I started a thread on this bill back in November; please post any comments or look for news about this bill under the "Senate bills, etc." section from the home page. The thread for this bill is called "new legislation for 2012" here:

https://unemployed-florida.forumotion.com/t270-new-legislation-for-2012

Other than that, one of the best resources I know of to track legislation in Congress is OpenCongress.org. They have this bill posted here:
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h3346/show

So far, no one has commented on this bill on that site; you might want to start the conversation there, and OpenCongress also has new tools for members (free, just your email address) that make it easy to email all your Congressmen at once and take quotes from the bill or any actions or news on the bill.

Hello:

I am new to this forum and I am impressed with the knowlege I have seen shared and have a question myself about EUC. When I called unemployment I felt that perhaps I was misinformed and I am coming to the group for some feedback.

I originally was unemployed March of 2010. I collected only 1 week of unemployment and then began non-benefit PT work for 9 months until Dec 2010. I started a new FT with benefits job Jan 2011 and was laid off from that job 10/1/2011. I have been unemployed since Oct 1 2011. I have not worked at all, but have been applying consistently this entire time for work without a good result.

I called unemployment because I saw that my unemployment benefits balance was getting lower and I calculated that I would most likely exhaust my benefits by the end of March 2012. She told me that I currently would have no additional benefits after April 1, 2012 because the extension on the books for benefits only applied to those unemployed and who exhausted their benefits by March 1, 2012. Everything else I have read and others I have spoken to have told me that there is EUC available to me. Is this true?

I am truly worried. I am in school online FT so I am available to work if offered and UE is aware and says I am still eligible to receive my current benefits because my school does not interfere with my ability to work. I am completing my Bachelors degree because I am one of the unemployed that falls in that awkward space where 10 years experience and no Bachelors degree is considered underqualified for the work I am accustomed to doing, yet my experience and an Associates Degree is considered overqualified for the other lesser jobs out there.

I appreciate any feedback and clarification you can offer.

Thanks
GSB

My final payment of State benefits will be Feb 14th. What happens next? I know that I am qualified for EUC. Is there a delay between state to EUC? Will I be able to claim on the 28th?

@ GSB

I'm sorry you haven't received a reply to your post yet, but I have to assume you may already have received further benefits or notification from AWI because of the recent Congressional action to extend benefits through 2012. That legislation was being debated at the time you posted. Let us know if your situation has been straightened out or if you still have a question about EUC benefits.

note: the first paragraph was in my print version, but was not in the on line versions of the article.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/fl-unemployment-benefits-lower-20120430,0,4968154.story
Orlando Sentinel

Floridians who loose their job this year will be eligable for 74 weeks of unemployment benefits instead of 99 weeks available during the recession

This is the last week that Florida residents will be able to apply for up to an additional 20 weeks of extended benefits, paid by the federal government, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity said Monday.
Payments end May 12 for the unemployed who are receiving extended benefits. The deadline to apply for extended benefits is May 6 at http://www.floridajobs.orghttp://www.floridajobs.org.
Florida's improving unemployment rate caused the change. When the state's unemployment rate dropped to 9 percent, the additional weeks disappeared, based on a formula devised by Congress.

Broward's unemployment fell to 7.5 percent in April. In Palm Beach County, the jobless rate was 8.9 percent. Both were the lowest rates in the counties since December 2008.
The change affects more than 7,000 unemployed residents of Broward and Palm Beach counties.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Julia Sala, 51, a Margate resident who was on unemployment benefits earlier this year, said cutting the weeks further hurts people trying to get back on their feet.
"It's disgraceful. People are losing their houses. They're not able to feed their families," she said.
The state cut back its benefits earlier this year. In January, state unemployment benefits were reduced to 23 weeks from 26 weeks.
State benefits are set on a sliding scale, based on the unemployment rate. If the average unemployment rate were to drop to 5 percent or less, maximum state benefits could go as low as 12 weeks, according to the state. For each 0.5 percentage point increase to the average unemployment rate, an additional week is added to benefits.
Federal emergency benefits expire Dec. 29 so after regular benefits, a Florida resident can count on federal benefits only through year-end, unless Congress reauthorizes them.
mpounds@tribune.com or 561-243-6650

This is a better written article

http://www.theledger.com/article/20120503/politics/120509764&tc=yahoo

notice says extensions ended this month but can,t find fla,s jobless rate anywhere what is it now?

The State of Florida must think we are all dumb idiots. The true unemployment rate is not what they tell the public it is. The people who lost their benefits along with the people who have just given up are not counted in this figure. Anyone who is looking for a job should know that nothing has changed. Employers are also using this to their advantage to pay low wages because they know people are desperate and will almost accept anything.