Emergency unemployment compensation extension?

Question

So, i applied for an unemployment extension in california. Today i received a letter that said that my extension IS NOT allowed. Their reason was, "You do not have earnings in excess of 40 times your weekly benefit amount or 1.5 times the highest quarter in the base period of your regular claim dated 02/24/08." WHAT DOES THAT MEAN???!

Answer 1

Emergency Unemployment Compensation Benefits

On June 30, 2008, the President signed Public Law 110-252 creating Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program.  This law provides for extended unemployment compensation of up to 13 weeks to unemployed workers who have exhausted their regular unemployment benefits.

The extension is EFFECTIVE July 6, 2008, and is referred to as Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC).  The extension is scheduled to end March 31, 2009.  The first week that can be paid under the EUC program is the week ending July 12, 2008.

QUALIFICATIONS

To be eligible for this extension of benefits the claimant must:

• have filed a claim effective on or after May 7, 2006, and

• have exhausted all rights to regular compensation under state or federal law, and

• have no rights to regular or extended compensation under any other state or federal unemployment compensation law, and

• have not received compensation with respect to such week under the unemployment compensation law of Canada.

Applications will be mailed to individuals that meet the above criteria and are potentially eligible for EUC benefits.

BENEFIT AMOUNT

For claimants who meet the above qualifications:

• The weekly benefit amount (WBA) of the EUC will be equal to the amount received on the regular claim that the extension is based upon.

• The amount in the EUC account will be the lesser of:

o 50 percent of the total amount of the regular claim, or

o 13 times the individual's weekly benefit amount for the benefit year.

CLAIMANTS CURRENTLY RECEIVING TRADE ACT/TRAINING ASSISTANCE BENEFITS

The EUC supersedes all other types of supplemental benefits. For claimants who are eligible for EUC and are currently receiving benefits under the Trade Act/Training Assistance programs, you will be taken off those benefits and put on the EUC claim. You will continue on the EUC claim until you have received all benefits on that extension or the sunset date, whichever comes first.  If you still qualify for the Trade Act/Training Assistance claim once the EUC benefits have exhausted or the sunset date is reached, you could return to the Trade Act/Training Assistance claim.

FUNDING

The EUC benefits are entirely federally funded. Therefore, employer’s reserve accounts will not be charged for any monies paid out to claimants on this extension.

Answer 2

Eligibility for unemployment is usually determined by how much covered earnings you had in a period of time right before your unemployment claim, usually the previous two quarters.  It sounds like they are saying you didn't have enough earnings to qualify.