Unemployment Benefits Extended Seven More Weeks
Some more good news out of those final, dreary days of the state legislative session: Both chambers passed SB 1350 last Saturday, triggering seven additional weeks of federally-funded unemployment insurance
via the federal stimulus package (raising the total, federally-...
Some more good news out of those final, dreary days of the state legislative session: Both chambers passed SB 1350 last Saturday, triggering seven additional weeks of federally-funded unemployment insurance via the federal stimulus package (raising the total, federally-funded extension to 20 weeks). In negotiations with the business community, labor representatives also managed to extend eligibility to those who leave their job voluntarily for extenuating personal or family reasons (i.e. sexual abuse, spousal relocation or sickness) and establish a $15 allowance for all dependents of unemployment filers, scheduled to start in 2011. "Did we want more? Sure," says Tim Drea, secretary-treasurer of the Illinois AFL-CIO. "But we didn't want to bankrupt the system. And we came away happy with what we got."
On a related noted, ProPublica teamed up with American Public Media's Marketplace to study the nation's vast and decentralized unemployment insurance system. Their piece paints a nasty picture of an outdated collection of state agencies struggling to keep up with increasing demand:
A compromise dating back to 1935 means each state has its own unemployment insurance system, with wide latitude to set taxes and benefit levels. As state systems buckle under the weight of skyrocketing unemployment, the fault lines of the current structure have been brought into stark relief. States have been left on their own to financially founder or prosper, and benefits vary nearly as much as the health of state systems.
Fourteen states have simply run out of money to pay benefits and been forced to borrow from Washington a total of more than $8 billion. That number is almost certain to grow as more states reach the brink.
Despite our state's catastrophic deficit, Illinois isn't yet dealing with those problems.
The state's total unemployment benefit fund balance sits just north of $500 million dollars -- the 14th largest total in the U.S. And unlike other comparably large states such as New York ($29 million with $1.3 billion in debt) and Ohio ($29 million with $862 million in debt), we haven't borrowed one dime to fill the coffers. While the average weekly benefit amount is $338.38, the 11th highest average in the country, only 50 percent of the state's unemployed are receiving benefits (tied for 21st in the nation).
That last statistic is an important one. As we noted back in February, the fund surplus may be partly due to employers' denying unemployment claims. There is great incentive for them to do so (it keeps their premiums down, after all) and the appeals process is a huge ordeal for those unjustly denied beneifts. Our original post included some recommendations from the Legal Assistance Foundation for how state policy could be changed to level the playing field.
UPDATE (6/29): Both legislative chambers passed Senate Bill 1350 last month, which modifies state law to trigger an additional 7 weeks of extended benefits (on top of the 13 already triggered in April). On June 26, it was sent to Gov. Pat Quinn's desk. He has 60 days to sign it into law.
UPDATE (8/26): We've created an open thread for readers to learn about the unemployment insurance process and discuss any questions or advice they have. Follow the link here.
Comments
I am a single parent with 5 children. I worked on my previous job for several years and I was laid off. So far I have moved and I am preforming yard work just to keep transportation. I have looked for jobs everyday. What are we suppose to do. I will work but, where? How am I going to continue to support my family. I am in school now. However I wonder if there will be any jobs for me when I finish. Please let us know what we are really in for.
I remember back in the seventies, my father was laid off from television work in NYC. He belonged to an unemployed workers union. I think also there were extended benefits for 18 months or more. People were not so afraid to organize and advocate for workers right--even unemployed workers--then. I fear there will be many people still unemployed in 2010. And the unemployed will be discriminated against again in their job search, since they are--you guessed it, unemployed while applying for work.
What has happened to us?
Thank God for the addl 7 wks BUT what happens after that? The job market is in the toilet, my nearest relatives live in the West Coast that has double-digit unemployment. What can the THOUSANDS of unemployed here in Iillinois do, I heard that the State has a 50/50 EB, but the benefits are greatly reduced to 60% or 80% I THINK!. Does anyone do about this 50/50 extended benefits? and if it will be implemented after the 100% EB that the federal government is now paying for?
Whats the word out their? I have one more (half) check (EB) and I am done. Just received my "payment explanation" and it says "my entitlement to state extended benefits (EB) is about to exhaust. At this time there are no additional extensions". That 7 week extension sure would come in handy. Thanks and good luck finding work everyone.
Governor Pat Quinn has not signed the 7weeks yet. he badly needs to as lots of us are in the same boat!!!!
Did he sign this yet?If not, when is he suppose to? The way this economy is, he needs to make time to do that.
Thanks for the info Jay. Cant believe he did not sign for the extra 7 weeks. I bet he does not know how hard it is being out of work with a family to feed. Shame on him, SIGN IT ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!
can someone please shed some light on this for me. the local office is very vague. I just exhausted my first 26 weeks of benefits. I went on in early february. I know some who have been on this for over a year and still get extensions. Yet, when i went to the local office they told me i would receive some letter in the mail about eligibility for a 20 month extension. The people I know are telling me the extension is automatic, is it? Are the extensions you are talking about on this thread beyond the extension I am talking about? Please someone shed some light on this for me.
Thank you
brianw6865 ,
You been waiting since February or you been on unemployment since then? Keep calling tela-serve every two weeks no matter what. Also, make sure your "year to date" didn't expire. If it did you have to go down to the local office and fill out the same papers you filled out when you first filed for unemployment. This happens one year after you first filed for unemployment. I am currently about to exhaust all of my extensions. The "EB" extension is the last extension. Anybody hiring construction workers out their? You have to know someone to get a job nowadays. Good luck people!
i have been on IDES since february. I just got my last check (for half) on friday. Over the past year i have worked for 2 different companies. I would think I will get the extension. To clarify I just used up my 26 or 29 weeks whatever it is. I am assuming or hoping i get this extension that i think some of you have had. The 13 week federal and then the 7 week state? What do you guys think?
I have been laid off since March 08, and am very thankful for each and every extension of unemployment benefits. I am very frustrated with the job market, as all of us are. I do think Gov. Quinn will sign to approve the seven add'l weeks, if only to secure some votes for the next election. I do wonder what will happen after that? We need to see the stimulus money in job retention and job creation.
I need a job are my ynemployment that u guys owe me for the weeks I claim in u guys said i will get payed for claiming them.
Good news people......
http://progressillinois.com/2009/7/1/unemployment-extension-bill-signed
My EB just expire, I too was told that the 20 week extension would be automatic???? I sit on the phone trying to contact my local office and continue for hours listening to the recording. Rediculous!!!! I seeing "7 week" extensions, what this? Not the 20 weeks my letters are saying?? Don't know what I'll do to make it if a decent enough paying job come along soon. Best of luck to all.
The EB is the last extension. It was originally 13 weeks, but they just pasted 7 more weeks on top of that. Total EB extension is a total of 20 weeks now. You can probably get the 7 weeks, they just passed it last week.
So everybody thinks they will get the IL EB State Extension? If you did not work at all during the time you were on the total unemployment, you will qualify.
We live in Winnebago County, IL...
During your the time you are on the Federal Unemployment Benefits program....
IF you earn 1/2 of your unemployment, the wages will be used against you with the IL EB Extension. The "new" laws basically state...if you work even the most minimal jobs during your 33 wks , under the Federal guidelines.... they are we re-calculating your benefits and totaling the wages. So if you made over the $1600.00 in the (I believe its 2 qtrs) you are no longer under your original claim and a New claim will be refiled.
People are being kicked off the IL State Extension and some even have to pay back the gov't for overpayment if the re-calculations are readjusted for working seasonal or part-time.
The Legislatures did not read what they signed and the people of IL will be penalized (whether reduction in unemployment, no unemployment extensions or even paying back the gov't) for working a little bit during the time you are unemployed. WHAT A SYSTEM! Where's are OUR LEGISLATURES that need to fix this problem before more people are losing their homes, need food, etc).
You are better off not working during the whole time instead of trying to better yourselves during this time Economic turnfall!!
You are right about people not qualify for benefits I know two peiple who this happen to for trying to work and it backfired on them, shame on the government for this, People don't whatr it is to want to work and not find suitable work. We should not be penalized and I hope an d pray that we all find jobs that will pay a salary that we can take care our family with an d also,and the mnean tiime the government needs to implement another eb benefits for us at lleast 26 weeks I don't think that is asking too much.
Everyone contact NELP at (212) 285-3025 and flood them with these concerns. I am in the same boat and have been reduced to $51 per week (down from $500). We all would have been better off if we sat at home and did nothing...instead we are being penalized for trying to earn money!!! The National Employment Law Project (NELP) is instrumental in working with the government to establish benefits for unemployed Americans.
I have contacted my State Rep, my US Congress Rep and Governor Quinn!
I am not okay with the law booting us out of a weekly benefit amount that we are entitled to collect! We should not be penalized because of a loophole.
I am going to persist and keep contacting them until I get someone to answer me and explain to me why it okay for my peers to laugh and collect their big fat checks while I think about food stamps and foreclosure.
I recently ran out of my regular (26 weeks) benefits and received a letter saying I was ineligable for the 33 week TEUC due to my total base period wages not equaling 1.5 times my highest quarter. This is crazy since if that work had been shifted even a month I would be eligable. Other states seem to have a choice between this, 20 weeks of work, or earnings equal to or greater than 40 times the weekly benefit amount. It would seem Illinois is trying to pinch every penny it can in NOT helping those of us out of work.
I called IDES to inquire and was further told that I did not qualify for the (now 20 weeks worth of) state extended benefits either since you need to qualify for TEUC to next qualify for the extended benefits. Is this true? It seems like bull to me and nowhere on the Illinois website does it say that EB eligibility is dependent on eligibility to TEUC.
Can anyone help?
Check out our new unemployment insurance open thread here
http://progressillinois.com/2009/8/26/unemployment-insurance-open-thread
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