Federal legislation passed in February 2012 under the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act changed the requirements for states to pay the different EUC Tiers.   Effective June 1, 2012 to be eligible for EUC Tier II, the state must have a Total Unemployment Rate (TUR) of 6 percent or higher for a three month period.   

 

Since Virginia’s TUR is below 6 percent, this means that EUC Tier II will no longer be available to those Virginia claimants who exhaust EUC Tier I with the week ending June 30, 2012 or after.  The last effective date EUC Tier II can be established is June 24, 2012.   Those individuals who are eligible for EUC Tier II effective June 24, 2012 or before will be able to receive their EUC Tier II balance or until the week ending December 29, 2012, whichever comes first.   If one exhausts EUC Tier I on or after week ending June 30, 2012, you will not be eligible to apply for EUC Tier II. 

 

 

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).