Fall 2009 Unemployment Extension Possible

Unemployed In Orlando wrote:I might be mistaken, but I am thinking that this is for states who have not received an EB 3rd tier, Florida legislature has already approved and began ours. Many states were waiting on the state gov to do this but this bill makes it a blanket thing by law from the feds. Thats how I am reading into this.

Even though many of the forums have fondly referred to our current EB as a "third tier" it is not a third tier of the EUC bill from Nov, '08. Our current EB is a totally different law, first established back in 1970 and modified several times since then. That is one reason for all the programming modifications and all the new work search requirements. The EUC, or Emergency Unemployment Compensation program had no third tier, only an extension of program deadlines in the stimulus bill. HR3404, if passed, would in fact be an EUC Tier 3.

nancym wrote:

Unemployed In Orlando wrote:I might be mistaken, but I am thinking that this is for states who have not received an EB 3rd tier, Florida legislature has already approved and began ours. Many states were waiting on the state gov to do this but this bill makes it a blanket thing by law from the feds. Thats how I am reading into this.

Even though many of the forums have fondly referred to our current EB as a "third tier" it is not a third tier of the EUC bill from Nov, '08. Our current EB is a totally different law, first established back in 1970 and modified several times since then. That is one reason for all the programming modifications and all the new work search requirements. The EUC, or Emergency Unemployment Compensation program had no third tier, only an extension of program deadlines in the stimulus bill. HR3404, if passed, would in fact be an EUC Tier 3.

Thanks Nancy, that makes sense if they add the 13 weeks into the EUC program. It just doesnt clearly show that in the bill and thats why I was questioning.

"such account shall be further augmented by an amount " as written into the bill I assumed was the original EUC amount not a further credited amount, hence the reason I thought only that this was confirmation of the existing program and only drawing an extension to this this programs life.

Bottom line is that this must pass and I agree, it can be edited for better or worse once sessions resume.

I also agree that NELPS sliding scale proposal would be a much better way to go for us all!!

Article in the Sentinel today

Fri Aug 7, 12:45 pm ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Congress will consider extending unemployment benefits after it returns in September to help 1.5 million Americans who risk exhausting them, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said on Friday.

"Soon after Congress returns to Washington we'll need to address this matter," Reid said. "There is an economic case to be made for extending unemployment benefits."

The unemployment rate eased to 9.4 percent in July from 9.5 percent the prior month, according to Labor Department data released on Friday. It was the first time the U.S. jobless rate has fallen since April 2008.

But the number of long-term unemployed continues to rise as the country struggles with the longest recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s, and many analysts attributed the dip in July to people giving up the job hunt.

Data ranging from home sales to manufacturing have pointed to an economic revival, but the unemployment rate is expected to remain high, which could lead to an anemic recovery. Obama administration officials say they still expect the unemployment rate to reach 10 percent this year.

As of July 25, 6.31 million people were collecting long-term unemployment benefits, according to Labor Department data.

Some 1.5 million of those people could exhaust those benefits by the end of the end of the year, according to the National Employment Law Project.

"We must help those who are suffering as a result of an economic crisis they did not create," Reid said.

Congress has already extended unemployment benefits for up to 79 weeks and Obama administration officials and Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives have said they will work to extend them further.

But that could widen the already yawning budget deficit, which shot up another $300 billion in July to reach a record $1.3 trillion for the first 10 months of fiscal 2009, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

The CBO expects the budget deficit to top $1.8 trillion for the fiscal year which ends September 30, in large measure due to a $787 economic stimulus bill passed by Congress in February.

Polls show rising public unease with the record deficit and Republicans have sharply criticized it.

"Instead of seeking new ways to expand the government, this Congress needs to get back to the basics of deficit reduction," Republican Senator Judd Gregg said in a statement.

Nancy, thank for taking the time to explain in detail HR3404. I knew that I wasn't losing my mind.
I kept reading this thread over and over and saw the additional weeks listed on the news articles and felt that this info wasn't right. Now its clear because you took the time to explain this to us all.

I am 55 years old, unemployed just like everyone else. To see what Nelp is proposing gives me hope. I have worked hard all my life and I job search everyday. So I am wishing this will go thru just in case. Thank you again Nancy for making what was once a fantasy to some, a possible reality to others

help wrote:Nancy, thank for taking the time to explain in detail HR3404.

You're welcome! I got used to reading the arcane language of these bills back when we all went through the last group panic attack with Florida's delayed extension of EB.

But we should all remember that HR 3404 is not the final bill. There will be opposition, probably more from the Senate, due to the ballooning deficit.

I'm also worried about the bill that would exempt unemployment benefits from all taxes (S. 155, a leftover from Senator Snowe that was never included in the stimulus package); I hope it has a chance, but then there's that pesky deficit!

Personally, I think some version of HR 3404 will pass, yet we don't know how much it might be changed, if only for the mercenary purpose of legislators looking good for the 2006 elections.

HEY UK, any new information on this possible extension, do you still think this is only extending the dates of the old extensions, i have read the bill and to me it sounds like it will extend EUC, I DEPEND ON YOU FOR THE ANSWERS, good luck everyone one the job hunting.

daytonawanda wrote:HEY UK, any new information on this possible extension, do you still think this is only extending the dates of the old extensions, i have read the bill and to me it sounds like it will extend EUC, I DEPEND ON YOU FOR THE ANSWERS, good luck everyone one the job hunting.

From what Nancy has explained I believe now that they will attempt to extend EUC for 13 weeks as well as extend the benefit availability date cutoff into 2010.

that would be great for everybody because i know the extensions are needed for all of us reading your site, you rock UIO, i only trust your word and you dont get mad when someone says anything negative, you just find out for us. oh and a thank you for Nancy as well.

daytonawanda wrote:that would be great for everybody because i know the extensions are needed for all of us reading your site, you rock UIO, i only trust your word and you dont get mad when someone says anything negative, you just find out for us. oh and a thank you for Nancy as well.

I know this is a little off topic, but it looks like me & Wanda have been blocked by four pillars. Looks like our posts are gone. I just tried to post something & it wouldn't let me! Oh well...those LOSERS. UIO's site is MUCH BETTER UIO, why is there a google bot on your site??

SaraJ wrote:

daytonawanda wrote:that would be great for everybody because i know the extensions are needed for all of us reading your site, you rock UIO, i only trust your word and you dont get mad when someone says anything negative, you just find out for us. oh and a thank you for Nancy as well.

I know this is a little off topic, but it looks like me & Wanda have been blocked by four pillars. Looks like our posts are gone. I just tried to post something & it wouldn't let me! Oh well...those LOSERS. UIO's site is MUCH BETTER UIO, why is there a google bot on your site??

MSN/BING, Yahoo and Google bots sometimes troll the forum to pull info to list on the search engines. That way it populates when people search for info

Dont know why you guys still go to Four Pillars lol, its all redundant bullshit where people ask the same stuff over and over without reading prior posts. I couldnt stand it and decided to just open this forum up so we can have separate topics and better user features

I agree UIO, the format is much better here. It is really organized and no room for the bullshiit you mentioned. I like it very much. It's a great looking forum, Thank you.

South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Unemployment compensation: Congress considers extending jobless benefits
August 12, 2009

Florida's unemployed could get another 13 weeks of benefits if Congress passes a bill pending in the House of Representatives.

House Bill 3404, which counts U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, D-Miami, among its sponsors, would extend benefits for those states with jobless rates above 9 percent. Florida's June unemployment rate was 10.6 percent.

Some lawmakers and unemployment experts are hopeful the bill will be passed after Congress returns from its summer break.

"We're arguing for 20 more weeks," said Andrew Stettner, deputy director of the Manhattan-based National Employment Law Project, advocates for the nation's unemployed. Extended benefits, which were up to 20 weeks of unemployment through the stimulus, will expire by September or October for most people. — Marcia Heroux Pounds

The Senate version of a bill for extension has been posted on Open Congress:

http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s1647/show

This version would be about the same as the House version, H.R. 3149, except that it would apply to states over 8.5% unemployment rate instead of 9%.

(NELP is advocating 10 weeks for all states, and going up to 20 weeks for states over 11%.)

S1647 is the companion bill of HR3404. A little different than HR3404...but still a good bill. Now to my point,S1647 has been assigned to the Senate Finance committee....on that committee sits our very own Senator,Bill Nelson. I think it would be a great idea to drop old Bill a letter(or phone if you prefer) asking for his support on this matter. I have had some personal dealings with Senator Nelson in the past,and he came to my rescue like the U.S. Calvary. So please,take a moment from your job searches and drop the good senator a line. We need all the help we can get. Florida's unemployment numbers are inching closer and closer to 1 million(hell,they probably already actually exceed a million).....so let the senator know that as a VOTING Floridian...you would appreciate his support.

[Edit: Gonzo, I moved this post here. UIO asked me to help with keeping the forum organized into categories. - Nancy]

I have been reading both HR3404 and S1647. Since many here have already exhausted their EB or will by the end of September,I was wondering(or wandering as I sometimes often do),if passed,would either one of these bills be retroactive to the date your EB exhausted? I will post this tidbit from Section 4 of S1647 and ask for your interpretation of its meaning(it is also in HR 3404):

(2) ADDITIONAL BENEFITS- In applying the amendments made by this section, any additional emergency unemployment compensation made payable by such amendment (which would not otherwise have been payable if such amendment had not been enacted) shall be payable only with respect to any week of unemployment beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

I hate to say it....but I interpret it as "not retroactive".

GonzoFL wrote:
...
(2) ADDITIONAL BENEFITS- In applying the amendments made by this section, any additional emergency unemployment compensation made payable by such amendment (which would not otherwise have been payable if such amendment had not been enacted) shall be payable only with respect to any week of unemployment beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

I hate to say it....but I interpret it as "not retroactive".

That's right, NOT retroactive, except from the date of enactment. So if it takes ol' Floridy a month or so beyond enactment to get their 'puters in line, we might have retroactive from the date of the bill, but not from the individual's exhaustion of EB (unless that comes later for some people).

Thanks Nancy,I figured your keen eye would read it the same as I was. Could be a bleak September as 31,513 Floridian's exhaust their benefits.

GonzoFL wrote:Thanks Nancy,I figured your keen eye would read it the same as I was. Could be a bleak September as 31,513 Floridian's exhaust their benefits.

Gonzo, I know you also follow the OC 3404 forum, but I'm not sure if everyone else here does, so I'll add this link to an article posted there this morning that should be of interest.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32555445/ns/us_news-the_elkhart_projecthttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32555445/ns/us_news-the_elkhart_project

Check out the big map at the bottom of the article that NELP had made; it show how many will be losing out by 9/30 and then 12/30 in all of the states.

Hard to imagine how Congress can ignore this impending disaster, even with being busy with health care reform.

I did read that article Nancy and checked out the interactive map.....not a pretty sight that's for sure....31,513 exhaust for Sept in Florida and the earth shattering number of 131,893 by years end. We are just talking about Florida.....add in the 49 other States and the number is off the hook. It would be a total economic collapse of this Country and possibly the world. Congress needs to act fast(like cash for clunkers fast) to prevent this disaster.

P.S. Don't forget to drop a line to Sen Bill Nelson....he sits on the committee for S1647

GonzoFL wrote:

P.S. Don't forget to drop a line to Sen Bill Nelson....he sits on the committee for S1647

Good point. Hmm..I may just take a printout of that map over to his local office in Davie. I don't remember, does he have an Orlando office? If so, there should be enough people up there to gang up on that office!

I wonder, what would Lisa Simpson do?

As a matter of fact Nancy,Bill Nelson does have an Orlando office: BTW...nice pic there Lisa...ummmm...errr....I mean Nancy

U. S. Senator Bill Nelson
Orlando
Landmark Two
225 East Robinson Street, Ste 410
Orlando, Florida 32801
Phone: 407-872-7161
Toll Free in Florida: 1-888-671-4091
Fax: 407-872-7165

Unemployed In Orlando wrote:Please stay on topic, thats why I made this forum so we wouldnt have the drama

Thanks! I'm here for info, if I wanted to get into heated discussion, there are hundreds of politico or gossip sites to involve oneself in. Let's keep drama out.

Having said that, my EB will expire in 2 weeks. Then I will be in total free fall. I have no idea how I will live. Since being laid off in April 2008, I have applied & applied to jobs with only 2 interviews granted during that time. I was not hired, I am older than most applicants & I believe that is a major hindrance during these times. I have a feeling that older workers will never get back to where they were in working society.

I now enrolled in a public tech school to gain new skills through the WIA program. Unfortunately that is not the dream I thought it would be. I ended up with an extremely negative harsh instructor who is not helpful. Apparently these days one is supposed to teach oneself in school & ask other students to help them if they are not able to figure out the information through reading books on how to work complicated computer programs. Taxpayer dollars are going to teachers who do not teach & to utilize other students, who are now distracted from their own learning to do the teacher's job without compensation. If there are other people experiencing this, can a new thread be started?

Like many people out there, I have no other income source than receiving EB benefits. But I have talked to numerous people who are collecting benefits who have received generous severance packages, have over a hundred thousand in retirement funds, are also collecting social security, have a spouse making more than enough to support them & they are also earning money in side businesses. With the limited funds available, is there a way that those who are in extreme need can continue to receive benefits & those who do not need can be prevented from drawing from funds that could go to those who can't live without it?
I know it's a sticky subject, but there are those of us who are now looking at a dire situation.

hsd wrote:Taxpayer dollars are going to teachers who do not teach & to utilize other students, who are now distracted from their own learning to do the teacher's job without compensation. If there are other people experiencing this, can a new thread be started?

Feel free to start a new thread in the off-topic discussion category, this would be a good idea to get a conversation going about that.