Explaining the Confusion with New Jersey Extended Unemployment Benefits

There have been some major changes regarding New Jersey unemployment and extension of benefits recently and it has caused much confusion. This article will attempt to explain what people collecting unemployment benefits in New Jersey can expect.

New Jersey Extended Unemployment Benefits: The initial claim

When you first get laid off, you will file a claim for unemployment benefits with the State of New Jersey. Out of state residents should contact their nearest re-employment call center for instructions on how to file as a non-resident. After the New Jersey Department of Labor checks out your claim and verifies information with your former employer, you will begin to receive checks every two weeks. You can continue to file your weekly benefits on the phone or online at www.njuifile.com. Your claim may be held up if you were terminated from your job due to your own fault. You may be required to report to unemployment what jobs you sought and applied for while collecting. The initial claim is for 26 weeks.

New Jersey Extended Unemployment Benefits: EUC Tier I

After you exhaust the 26 weeks from your initial claim, you may qualify for Tier I benefits. This provides up to an additional 20 weeks of unemployment. You must also have filed for unemployment on or after May 7, 2006 to qualify for EUC Tier I benefits. Due to the December 31st 2009 expiration date for EUC benefits, you must file your first EUC Tier I claim by February 28, 2010 to qualify for these benefits.

New Jersey Extended Unemployment Benefits: EUC Tier II

Tier II now provides an additional 14 weeks of unemployment benefits. You must exhaust your Tier I benefits by benefit week ending February 28, 2010 to qualify for Tier II benefits before the December 31st 2009 expiration date.

New Jersey Extended Unemployment Benefits: EUC Tier III

Tier III provides up to an additional 13 weeks once your Tier II benefits are exhausted. Your Tier II benefits must be exhausted by claim benefit week ending February 28, 2010 to qualify for Tier III before the December 31st 2009 EUC expiration date.

New Jersey Extended Unemployment Benefits: EUC Tier IV

Tier IV provides up to 6 additional weeks of unemployment once your Tier III benefits are exhausted. You must have exhausted your Tier III benefits by claim benefit week ending February 28, 2010 to qualify for collecting Tier IV benefits.

New Jersey Extended Unemployment Benefits: Extended Benefits (EB)/High EB

If you do not qualify for any Tier benefits you can still qualify for Extended Benefits (EB). EB provides up to an additional 20 weeks of unemployment once all other benefits are exhausted. EB is normally 13 weeks, but New Jersey qualifies for an additional 7 weeks thus falling into a category called High EB. However, you will be required to submit proof of work searches with each unemployment claim. If you are in state approved training program or on jury duty, you are exempt from this job search requirement.

New Jersey Extended Unemployment Benefits: Where things get tricky

A number of benefits recipients were in the middle of collecting EB benefits when President Obama signed legislation to make another extension of EUC benefits. This made things very confusing for those collecting unemployment benefits. According to the website philly.com, New Jersey residents who were in the middle of collecting EB benefits will be interrupted from that program to receive the additional EUC benefits. When the EUC benefits run out, the EB benefits will resume again. This is only for New Jersey. Other states may have different rules regarding this.

Any questions regarding your eligibility for EUC Tier Benefits or Extended Benefits should be directed to your nearest re-employment center so an agent can review your file.

It appears the last day for collecting any EUC Tier benefits is June 5, 2010. Again, please check with your nearest re-employment center for information regarding your claim.

Sources:

Jane M. von Bergen, Unemployment Benefit Programs Lead to Confusion, www.philly.com, December 3, 2009.

http://lwd.dol.state.nj.us/labor/ui/content/UIExtendedBenefitProgram.html#9