[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 28 (Thursday, February 10, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3110]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: February 10, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
 

Changes in Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) Benefit 
Period Durations for All States and the Beginning of Extended Benefit 
(EB) Periods for Three States

    This notice announces changes in benefit period durations available 
under the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program for all States 
resulting from amendments to the EUC law, and the beginning of Extended 
Benefit Periods for three States.

Background

    The Emergency Unemployment Act of 1991, as amended by Public Law 
103-152, extended the EUC program through April 30, 1994, with no EUC 
to be paid on any new claim to establish an EUC account after February 
5, 1994. Section 2(b)(1)(B) of that law amended section 102(b)(2) of 
Public Law 102-164 by establishing the maximum number of weeks of 
benefits available in States at 13 or 7 weeks. Claimants filing initial 
claims for EUC for weeks of unemployment beginning after October 2, 
1993 are entitled to either 13 to 7 weeks of EUC, depending on the 
unemployment rates experienced in their State.
    Currently, new claimants in three States (Alaska, California and 
West Virginia) are potentially eligible for 13 weeks of EUC. New 
claimants in all other States are potentially eligible for 7 weeks of 
benefits. Claimants who filed initial claims which were effective for a 
week beginning prior to October 2, 1993 are potentially eligible to 
collect the entire entitlement as in effect prior to the reduction in 
weeks available.
    In addition, the following State-specific change in EUC benefit 
period durations to which claimants are entitled has occurred since the 
publication of the last notice:
     October 31, 1993--Rhode Island decreased to 7 weeks.
    Thus, in Rhode Island, the maximum amount of EUC payable for new 
accounts established for weeks of unemployment beginning after October 
31, 1993 is 7 weeks.
    In the permanent Extended Benefits Program, three States have 
started EB period effective October 3, 1993. Oregon and Washington have 
triggered ``on'' to extended benefits based on their three-month 
average seasonally adjusted total unemployment rate (TUR) which 
exceeded 6.5 percent and was 10 percent higher than either 
corresponding three-month average TUR in the two immediately preceding 
years. Puerto Rico triggered ``on'' to extended benefits as a result of 
its 13-week average insured unemployed rate exceeding 6.0 percent. 
Claimants in Washington are eligible for a maximum of 20 weeks of 
extended benefits due to the State's three-month average TUR exceeding 
8.0 percent, while claimants in Oregon and Puerto Rico are eligible for 
13 weeks of extended benefits.

Information for Claimants

    The duration of benefits payable in the Emergency Unemployment 
Compensation Period, and the terms and conditions on which they are 
payable, are governed by the Act and the operating instructions issued 
to the States by the U.S. Department of Labor. The State employment 
security agency will furnish a written notice of potential entitlement 
to each individual who has exhausted all rights to regular benefits and 
is potentially eligible for EUC benefits (20 CFR 615.13(c)(2), made 
applicable to the EUC program by section 101(d)(2) of the Emergency 
Unemployment Act of 1991).
    Persons who believe they may be entitled to EUC or EB benefits, or 
who wish to inquire about their rights under the programs, should 
contact the nearest State employment service office or unemployment 
compensation claims office in their locality.

    Signed at Washington, DC, on February 4, 1994.
Doug Ross,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 94-3110 Filed 2-9-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-M