Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) update and EUC TIER III

April 13, 2012
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION (EUC) UPDATE AND EUC TIER III - Posted April 13, 2012
 
EUC TIER III is currently payable when the 3 month average of the total unemployment rate (TUR) is six (6) percent or higher.   With the release of data from the Department of Labor on March 30, 2012 of Virginia’s TUR, our three month average is now 5.9 percent.  
 
Since Virginia’s TUR is below 6 percent, this means that EUC Tier III will no longer be available to those Virginia claimants who exhaust EUC Tier II after April 21, 2012. The last effective date for EUC Tier III is April 22, 2012.   Those individuals who are eligible for EUC Tier III effective April 22, 2012 or before will be able to receive their EUC Tier III balance or until the week ending December 29, 2012, whichever comes first.   If you exhaust EUC Tier II on or after week ending April 28, 2012, you will not be eligible to apply for EUC Tier III.  
 
With the ending of EUC Tier III, this means that Virginia’s UI and EUC combined entitlement will go from a maximum of 73 weeks down to a maximum of 60 weeks.  
 
Under current federal law, there would be no more benefits paid under any Tier of EUC after the week ending December 29, 2012. After that date, Virginia would only be able to provide benefits under the regular UI program (up to 26 weeks).
 

Due to the passage of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act in February 2012, other changes will be forthcoming to the EUC program over the next few months.

Please continue to check our website for information regarding these changes.