[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 11, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21811-21812]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-8618]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Announcement Regarding States Triggering ``Off'' in the Emergency 
Unemployment Compensation 2008 (EUC08) Program and the Federal-State 
Extended Benefits (EB) Program

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Announcement regarding states triggering ``off'' in the 
Emergency Unemployment Compensation 2008 (EUC08) program and the 
Federal State Extended Benefits (EB) Program.
    The Department of Labor produces trigger notices indicating which 
states qualify for both EB and EUC08 benefits, and provides the 
beginning and ending dates of payable periods for each qualifying 
state. The trigger notices covering state eligibility for these 
programs can be found at: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/claims_arch.asp.
    The following changes have occurred since the publication of the 
last notice regarding states' EB and EUC08 trigger status:
     Based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics 
on January 24, 2012 the three month average, seasonally-adjusted total 
unemployment rate (TUR trigger) for Texas fell below the 8.5% threshold 
to remain ``on'' Tier Four of the EUC08 program. The 13-week mandatory 
``on'' period for Texas in Tier Four of the EUC08 program concluded on 
March 10, 2012. As a result, the week ending March 10, 2012 was the 
last week in which EUC claimants in Texas could exhaust Tier 3, and 
establish Tier 4 eligibility. With this change, the maximum potential 
entitlement in Texas for the EUC08 program decreased from 53 weeks to 
47 weeks. Under the phase-out provisions, claimants can receive any 
remaining entitlement they have in Tier 4 after March 10, 2012.
     Based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics 
on March 13, 2012, the TUR triggers for Minnesota and Utah fell below 
the 6% threshold to remain ``on'' in Tier 3 of the EUC08 program. As a 
result, the current maximum potential entitlement in both of these 
states in the EUC08 program will decrease from 47 weeks to 34 weeks. 
The week ending April 7, 2012 will be the last week in which EUC08 
claimants in these states can exhaust Tier 2, and establish Tier 3 
eligibility. Under the phase-out provisions, claimants in these states 
can receive any remaining entitlement they have in Tier 3 after April 
7, 2012.
     Based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics 
on March 13, 2012, the TUR triggers for Alabama, Idaho, and Ohio fell 
below the 8.5% threshold to remain ``on'' in Tier 4 of the EUC08 
program. As a result, the current maximum potential entitlement in 
these states for the EUC08 program will decrease from 53 weeks to 47 
weeks. The week ending April 7, 2012 will be the last week in which EUC 
claimants in these states can exhaust Tier 3, and establish Tier 4 
eligibility. Under the phase-out provisions, claimants in these states 
can receive any remaining entitlement they have in Tier 4 after April 
7, 2012.
     Based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics 
on March 13, 2012, the TUR trigger for Kansas fell to 6.3%, below the 
6.5% threshold to remain ``on'', and triggering them ``off'' of the EB 
program with the week ending March 17, 2012. The payable period for 
Kansas in the EB program will conclude with the week ending April 7, 
2012.
     Based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics 
on March 13, 2012, the TUR triggers in Colorado, Texas, and West 
Virginia fell below the 8.0% threshold required to remain ``on'' in a 
high unemployment period (HUP) for EB. Claimants in these states will 
remain eligible for up to 20 weeks of benefits through April 7, 2012, 
but starting April 8, 2012, the maximum potential entitlement in the EB 
program for these states will decrease from 20 weeks to 13 weeks.
     Based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics 
on March 13, 2012, as well as revisions to prior year data released on 
February 29, 2012, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, Oregon, 
South Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin no longer meet one of the 
criteria to remain ``on'' in EB, having their current TUR triggers be 
at least 110% of one of the trigger rates from a comparable prior 
period in one of the three prior years. This triggers these states 
``off'' of the EB program with the week ending March 17, 2012. The 
payable period in these states for the EB program will conclude with 
the week ending April 7, 2012.

[[Page 21812]]

Information for Claimants

    The duration of benefits payable in the EUC program, and the terms 
and conditions under which they are payable, are governed by public 
laws 110-252, 110-449, 111-5, 111-92, 111-118, 111-144, 111-157, 111-
205, 111-312, 112-96, and the operating instructions issued to the 
states by the U.S. Department of Labor. The duration of benefits 
payable in the EB program, and the terms and conditions on which they 
are payable, are governed by the Federal-State Extended Unemployment 
Compensation Act of 1970, as amended, and the operating instructions 
issued to the states by the U.S. Department of Labor.
    In the case of a state concluding an EB period, the State Workforce 
Agency will furnish a written notice of any change in potential 
entitlement to each individual who had established eligibility for EB 
(20 CFR 615.13(c)(4)). Persons who believe they may be entitled to 
benefits under the EB or EUC08 program, or who wish to inquire about 
their rights under the program, should contact their State Workforce 
Agency.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Gibbons, U.S. Department of 
Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Unemployment 
Insurance, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Frances Perkins Bldg. Room S-
4524, Washington, DC 20210, telephone number (202) 693-3008 (this is 
not a toll-free number) or by email: [email protected].

    Signed in Washington, DC, this 30th day of March, 2012.
Jane Oates,
Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-8618 Filed 4-10-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-FW-P