Update – Feb 7, 2011 – Legislation to add extra weeks for 99ers
Democratic Reps. Barbara Lee (Calif.) and Bobby Scott (Va.) are reintroducing legislation this week to provide additional weeks of unemployment insurance benefits for “99ers,”
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Part of Obama’s 2009 stimulus package was extra funding for states to extend the length of unemployment benefits if necessary. Most states have a fixed number of weeks available for benefits but can increase the number of weeks if the economic climate is bad enough. This is usually measured by the unemployment rate.
The unemployment rate in Tennesse was 9.9% for April 2009 which is up from 6.0% in April of last year. This is the highest unemployment rate in 25 years. Tennesse has qualified for $141 million to pay for extended benefits as well as upgrades to the benefit infrastructure.
What unemployment benefits are available now?
Currently Tennessee will pay benefits for 26 weeks which is the normal payout period. There is another 33 weeks which is available because of the 2009 stimulus package for a total of 59 weeks.
Unemployed workers can get up to $275 per week in benefits plus a bonus $25 a week from the federal government for a total of $300 per week.
Will the unemployment benefits be extended by another 20 weeks?
[edit – please note that this bill has been passed]
Currently there is a bill called HB 2324 which if passed will increase benefits by up to 20 weeks. If the claimant has any children the bill will also add on $15 per week per child up to 3 kids. This bill has not been made law yet but you can check on the status of the bill here. At the moment (May 22) it says that it is scheduled for the Finance, Means and Ways committe for May 27. This bill was first introduced on Feb 26 so it is taking a long time.
Once the bill is passed by the FMW committee then it will go to the house and senate and lastly the governor.
There is a very good chance that unemployment benefits will be extended by 20 weeks however the slow machine of politics means that it might take a while.
693 replies on “Tennessee Unemployment Benefits Extension – 20 More Weeks?”
The only paperwork I filled out was on my last day of employment. The Dept. of Labor came to our workplace to help the 160 of us that were being laid off. I have never phisically went to an office and I’m on my last week of eb.
@Bob, what audits are you talking about in the job search category? The only “audit” I know of is the work search log. The reason you keep one is just in case the State decides to “audit” your account, you can show where you have looked for a job. I’m not aware of any other audits.
Dwayne
@Apresto, sounds like the difference between a mass lay off and termination. You probably filled out the same application I did when I had to go to the unemployment office, they just brought it to you vs me having to go in.
Dwayne
Good to see Dwayne back!
Just going into the eb so I get curious about the job search stuff. I have looked and gotten interviews but not a lot of documentation and mail to the Nashville office is kinda more time consuming than the interviews but it is what it is.
@Frannie, I got the letter also and I just fill in the work search log form. You just need to mail it to Nashville. I’ve not gone to the career center to fill anything out. You can register online @ http://www.tn.gov/labor-wfd/mainfindajob.html and click on TDLWD Job Search – Self Service.
Chris…your welcome and good luck!
I’m sure you will find a job with education.
Education is the key to the future!
Mr. Partlow is very helpful and has helped
myself and countless others thru this recession.
It really hurts when you have to go for several weeks without
pay and the frustration of not knowing how to fix it.
But he can and will help.
Thanks Dwayne and Lynn for your help. I did register online, but to be on the safe side I guess I will go to the employment office. I tried to call many times and keep getting transferred to a voicemail.
I do have another question. I anyone else going on interviews only to find 5 or more others scheduled for the same time for the same interview……or go on 3 interviews for the same job only never to hear anything ever again…. I guess the day of calling and saying I’m sorry you didn’t get the job are over with… they just assume you will figure it out, even though they tell you at the end of the interview they will let you know either way. I have also applied for several jobs that are advertised only to find out they were not real jobs and they never had any openings.
This unemployment this is so frustrating…… I have never spent more than a few weeks in my life looking for a job and now other than a few temp jobs here and there it’s been a year and no job. I’ve even applied for jobs that are a major pay cut…. and those people basically say I’m over qualified and think there is something wrong since I’m willing to take a pay cut or ask why there is such a gap in my employment…. hello… am I the only one in the world that is unemployed??? I think not!
lol …. anyways… sorry if I vented in between my questions…. this is getting so frustrating!
oops….. hit enter before I looked for errors…. I apologize for the broken language……lol
@frannie, yes, in this market, it’s very frustrating as this is a Employers market not employees market, meaning, the employer has the luxury of being able to pick and choose. In an employees market, the employer cannot find enough employees, so, they have to be nice and cater to perspective employees. As far as the work log, as long as you are looking for work, that is all that is required. If you apply and are told they are not hiring, get the name of the person that told you that and put it on the log. If you set up an interview, but, it is not followed through by the employer, put that on the log. My understanding of the work log is, as long as your looking in good faith, they know employers are, for the most part not hiring now. I’ve seen applications thrown in the garbage just as soon as their handed to the perspective employer. Put that on the log. Just make sure you get names, positions and phone numbers.
Now, having said that, I don’t work for the state, so, you may want to ask your local office if you encounter the above issues, but, that is my experience.
Dwayne
Words of wisdom Dwayne. You are right.
I made a naive, costly mistake by believing, after three interviews, I was the selected person. I cut back my search and began studying the companies products via website. After waiting to be called for a week or two I contacted a insider and thanked them for the heads up on the job. They told me I would be called that week as that was what they were told and it be relieving them of some of the workload. Hopes shot up again. No word, no call, sit by the phone and didn’t pursue a really good lead. There is no courtesy by employers in this market.
Not to be just negative but watch out for downturns and no job really being there. There is now a luxury of keeping people on a string in case someone doesn’t work out.
Thanks guys….. I was beginning to think it was me! lol
does anyone know if we will roll over into EB20 after the EB10 is paid out. i heard today that now that EB10 is back up and running we will roll over into EB20 when we exaust our EB10. i talked to the career center and they explained there is 4 tiers of EB. they referred to them as EB10, EB20, etc.
they could not however tell me if we would just roll over to the next tier of EB.
@Frannie, It’s not just you Frannie! I have been looking for almost 2 years. I have a Master’s degree and have had a terrible time even getting interviews. Even the Walmart’s and Target’s are not interested. I am told I am over qualified and when I do make it to a 2nd or 3rd interview it’s a rare occasion that I get a letter, email or call to let me know about the outcome. Age is most definitely a factor. All though no one ever guesses my real age, once they find out that I have almost 25 years of work experiences (an obvious give away) my chances seem to diminish more than 50%.
Okay….this is funny! I tried to certify today and it said that my benefits has ended. What? Has this happen to anyone….I sent my work log on Friday…..Could that be the problem? Here we go again……
Dak Gray
I just certified for my 27 week today……that should be the first week of EB20……I had to do nothing other than the normal weekly certification…….I did this on the computer with no problem…
I hope this helps you…..
I have not had to start a work search log yet but how do they deal with online resumes that you send out. Most of the time you have no idea who those go to or a (direct) name. Just curious.
@sharron…..on the bottom of the work search form that they sent you will help you fill in the chart. In the chart they as the method of applying and just state online. I even went as far as putting the website at where I applies. Make sure and do those logs because I did just sent mine in and I guess it was to late and they would not let me certify today. Although I just starting getting my EB last week.
@ May
I thought those work search logs were to be mailed in once a month?? How did you send yours in? Mail, computer
Did you have to go to the Unemployment office?
question= 2-3 weeks ago when the eb kicked back in i received my first work search log…i have to mail in every four weeks right? do i mail at the end of the mont or after 4 weeks? i just received it and its the end of the month now
@May in Nashville
im hoping when i certify tomarrow im not in the same boat….i states every 4 weeks,,,im wondering if that means the end of the mont or when we starting receiving eb again…….i just received my first work search log 2-3 weeks ago……i exhausted tier 4 on 4-16 and received retro eb when i kicked back in…..not this again….
iGOT THE PAPER OUT AGAIN AND IT SAID EVERY 4 WEEKS AND YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GO BACK WHEN WE WERE NOT DRAWING IT AND IT STARTED WEEK ENDING SO IT SHOULD BE SEND IN THIS WEEK SO THATS WHAT I THOUGHT
Work Search Log. It is to be sent in every 4 weeks, from the first week you certified AFTER the retro payment. My retro was through the week of the 5th, so, when I called in the next week to certify for the week of the 11th, my work search log would have to reflect I looked for at least 2 different jobs(contacts), from the 6th-11th, even though my actual certify day was the next wed(I believe that was the 15th that I called in to certify, for the week that ended on the 11th). So, I would have to put two job contacts on the form per week, and there are 4 weeks worth of lines on the form. When you have filled out the form after the 4th week, send it in by mail, the address is on the back(if you print the form off the site, the address should be on the site). Do NOT just send the form in at the end of the month, unless that is when your 4 weeks end.
As far as sending in Resumes, state that on the form, as you applied on the internet. Just for an example, if you apply for walmart, put all the positions that you apply for, and if more than one store, then put that on the form ,I applied for the Columbia, Waverly, Lexington, etc, stores. Follow up actions. The website told me once they reviewed my resume, they would contact if any positions are available at the locations I applied.
I was the same way when I first started filling mine out, but, was told not to read into the form. They know if you fill an application out on line, you won’t have a name of who you contacted.
Hope this helps.
Dwayne
my man dwayne=thanks….so many different options they state with no room for mistakes huh,,,,,thanks
@ Gary, Thank you. I just wasn’t sure what was going to take place and how or if the roll-over from EB10 to EB 20 would take place.
@Bob…I ended tier 4 during the week of May 16….So I am not sure what I need to do for date for my logs. I tried to certify today my normal day and it said my benefits were over….So I have to call tomorrow. You would believe I just starting getting a check last week.. So I am confused. But, they send the logs in the mail and then you send them back in a month I guess. I just put a stamp on it and mailed it through the mail
@zachary But my tier 4 ended on May 16 so I am not sure if I had to go back to that date or what to do
@May, you may need to create a new claim for EB. I called Nashville about 2 weeks ago to ask questions and they said a lot of people unfortunately had their benefits interrupted because their claims became screwed up so many people had to create a new claim. You might want to call them. Also, the log sheets are mailed every 4 weeks, not necessarily at the end of a month. It will depend. You might want to speak with them about that too.
Can anyone answer this one. A neighbor was already drawing EB20 in her first week and was not affected by the April 16 shut-off of EB10. She also has never done the first work search sheet and has told me several times she never was told to do work searches and she never got a work search form from Dept. of Labor. She also told me point direct she is not going to do the work search. All of this I know to be fact I saw her still getting her money when the ones of us on EB10 had lost ours. I also know for a fact she HAS NOT done the first lick at looking for work and has made it very clear she isn’t going to. Her reason is no one is hiring so why waste my gas. Does everyone on EB10, EB20, etc not have to do the work search? Just wondering because I have been using at least 50.00 a week out of my check for fuel trying to find work and I don’t understand how we are busting our butts to look for work and following the rules to keep our unemployment money coming in and others out there are not doing a flipping thing and their money just keeps coming in. Like I said in a post above this was my last week of EB10 and I have followed all the requirements I hope I roll over to EB20. So if anyone knows about if everyone does the work search once you hit the EB10 or if just some have to do the work search. Thanks dak
@Lynn….that is it….I have to do another claim. This sucks! Does anyone know how long this takes? It took me 6 weeks when I first submitted it like a year ago. Yep, that log sheet thing….I will submitted at ending of the month….I just got two week retroactive pay and then this..ahhhhhhh
soooo!
Thanks Lynn… that made me feel better knowing it’s not just me. I spent too much money to go to college and be told that I would have a job when I got out paying a couple hundred thousand…..only to find out when I got out that I would never even get close to getting that amount of money… and now after 15 years experience…. I can’t even get a job at Walmart…..some days I get so frustrated with all the interviews and the applications. It seems like I am constantly jumping through hoops for potential employers with nothing to show for it except less time, money, and gas in the end.
@Dak. This may be better answered by the state, but, I’ll give my opinion. If you do not fill out your work search logs, you will not receive any benefits. If your friend says she has not filled one out, that is very suspect, but, if it is true, if the state has overlooked them, just as soon as they find it out(and they will), not only would this jeopardize getting any further benefits, she WILL HAVE TO PAY BACK ALL FUNDS THAT DOES NOT HAVE WORK SEARCH LOGS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM, PERIOD. And I don’t know anything about EB10 or EB20, as far as I know, it is only EB(extended benefits). IMHO, it’s not worth the chance by not looking for work. The state will get their money back!! Just do what you can in looking for work. The reason I know this, you cannot say I didn’t know about the job search, because the last question asked during certification is: “Did you make at least 2 work contacts, and DOCUMENT THEM ON THE WORK SEARCH LOG, AS REQUIRED??” Cannot plead ignorance or say I never received the letter, because the way the state looks at it, if you are answering the questions, if you don’t understand them, it is your responsibility to contact the state and ask questions. So, if you are answering the last question as YES, and not looking for work, then you are committing perjury(Lying).
Good Luck
Dwayne
@ Dwayne… Thank you I sort of wondered because everyone else I know of on EB has the job search. I know I keep copies of mine. But to hear her tell it, my neighbor not really a friend… lol, she has never had that question come up on her weekly cert. I guess the state will wonder too when they find it.
Thanks again, dak
@dak, your welcome. I won’t speak to your neighbors not receiving a letter, because, we all know the postal system has and does lose mail occasionally. But, the questions that are asked for unemployment under EB are standard. If I had to make a guess, I would say your neighbor is not looking for work, but sending in the forms and answering yes on the certification, and is trying to justify to all of you that she doesn’t have too. But, like I said the questions asked are standard and lying on anyone of them, WILL get you in trouble with the state, at the minimum, just repaying the funds received, at the most, charged with perjury and defrauding the government, which I believe is a felony charge, with possible jail time and financial penalties.
Not worth it.
Dwayne
Another questions……lol… seems like I’m full of those these days…. I am on Federal Extended unemployment benefits but my BYE is 06/18/2011… I know that BYE means benefit year ending but does this mean that I have to do anything or do I continue to receive benefits? I still have a balance in my account and was paid last week… but after applying for a student loan deferment I received notification that I was denied because my BYE. So this leaves me thinking maybe I need to do something or my benefits have ended and no one told me. They system let me certify Monday….. and I tried to call and the 1-877 number and it keeps hanging up on my after saying no one is available at this time.
So if any of you have any thought I would appreciate them…. I have been doing this on and off for a year and the unemployment lingo still confuses me!
@Lynn
I emailed him last Friday and he responded within 45 minutes telling me that someone would be calling me. The phone call came within 1 hour from the time I sent the email. I couldn’t believe the response time. I didn’t expect it to be so fast. I was away from my phone and missed the call last Friday. But she left a number for me to call and I called yesterday and was speaking to her in less than 3 minutes. The lady did my back certifications and now today I checked my benefits and my money should be deposited tomorrow. My available balance is back to $0.00 and I have a nice size check coming.
Thank you so much for your help.
Frannie..you will need to file a new claim for the next benefit year.
Each year you are laid off you file a new claim to start over. If you have worked any your check amount may change if not extensions and EB takeover. So in other words file a new claim with the last date that you worked. I know I had problems with this too. Email Mr. Partlow @TDOL
if you need help. He is definitely the hero here in Tenn for helping all of us.
Chris…so glad you are getting some $$ !
Mr. P is wonderful…isn’t he?!
Does anyone know exactly when EUC & EB ends in December 2011? I heard that it ends the last Saturday of December 2011.
Thanks Lynn, I sent the email and Mr. Partlow was very helpful. Someone just called me and finalized my claim. I have to wait for packet so I can send my Federal paperwork in again…….and then in about 3 weeks I should hear if it’s approved or not. Unfortunately, because I took a temp job for about a month and a half last year my benefits will be cut in half now….. so I’m being penalized because I tried to work…. this is very discouraging and it just doesn’t seem right…but oh well what can you do… guess something is better than nothing!
Everyone – Sorry I haven’t been on here helping folks as much as I used to be able to do. I don’t think I can go back to the point where I last posted, but I will try to answer the more recent questions. By the way, thanks for the kind words.
Frannie – If your new claim’s weekly benefit amount is either 25% less or $100 less than your weekly benefit amount on your old EUC claim, you should be given the option to stay with the new claim at the lower weekly benefit amount (but possibly for a longer duration) or go back to your old EUC claim and continue to receive the higher weekly benefit amount (but possibly for a shorter duration)
Early on when there was on EUC Tiers 1 and 2, if you qualified for a new state claim, you were required to receive benefits on the new claim at the lower weekly benefit amount. Later when they added the new tiers, Congress realized that the EUC rules had created this unfortunate situation where people went out and found new jobs and were rewarded with a new claim at a lower weekly benefit amount. At that point, they placed the 25% or $100 less option.
This option only applies to those receiving EUC. It doesn’t apply to those receiving EB.
Steve – I am at home and don’t have the exact dates in front of me, but EB ends the last week in December. It has no phase out provision, so once the end of December arrives, everyone’s EB eligibility ceases regardless of whether you have a balance left to receive or not.
EUC does have a phase out provision. Whatever tier you happen to be on at the end of December is the last tier you can receive. You can continue after the end of December to receive the remainder of your balance of the EUC tier you are on, but you just can’t advance to the next tier.
Of course, future Congressional action could change these current rules.
EB work searches – Everyone is required to submit the EB work search logs. There is a unit within our Agency that audits unemployment claims to make sure they were appropriately handled by our Agency and that claimants have the required documentation. However, for the retroactive EB payments, those work searches were not required.
DAk – There is just one EB program. Your neighbor was likely receiving a tier of EUC and not EB. EUC doesn’t require the documented tangible work searches.
@ Mr. Partlow, Thank you for your post. As I just related what she had told us here in the community so now I know. I just told her I have copies of all my work searches so if the need should arise I have them.
If I may ask I received my last 22.00 on Tuesday of this week. If I understand correctly, I am out of the EB program now? or does it continue? sorry but I really don’t understand, I guess.
Thank you again for your post,
dak
@Mr. Partlow…..once again you have been a great help! Thank you so much for you help! I greatly appreciate it.
Mr. Partlow for President
I agree Zachary,
This is the hardest time of any of out lives. We are made to feel like less than what we are when we are just asking what “do we do” in this process. I appreciate the extended benefits. The access to information is really lacking. I look for jobs but it is so selective when it comes to age and talent…I guess, talent?? Mr. Partlow has helped and it would be good to see more info out of the website…regardless,
I hope we all are employed before we all feel like beggars. Thanks for the information Mr. Partow. Stay with us and God bless you.
Mr. Partlow….I visit this site frequently to try and stay abreast of the issue. Fortunately, I haven’t had major issues as others have had; however, I just wanted to say from what I have seen on here, you have been a tremendous help to many and reading back “you are greatly appreciated”. Many Thanks!
not one post in a week..hope everyone is well!…..
Right Zachary,
I check in between job search. Getting harder and harder. I worry about the Debt ceiling negotiations right now and how that may just stop UI altogether.
Google Orin Hatch’s comment on reducing the debt today. I seen too many government stops to not think something may happen once again.
I too check in between job searching and checking in with the TDOL, to check my status on my new claim (since my BYE ended). Both of which are very frustrating. Seems like something has to change soon. Prices of gas, groceries, water, electric, etc. seem to go up everyday and still no jobs. I’m hoping the saying it has to get bad before it gets better rings true. Because we have had bad…. and I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m ready for better!
Also, once again I would like to thank Mr. Partlow for all of his help…. I don’t know what I would have done without all of his help.
Dak – Without knowing your personnel information and looking up your claim, I can’t tell you if you have exhausted EB. The best thing to do is send me an email and I will check. Remember, if you send me an email, I need your name and the last 4 digits of your social security number. Please don’t include you whole social security number, as its unsafe to do that in emails without them being encrypted.
Either I will respond or I will forward it to someone who works with me to answer. But I promise you will get an answer. Depending upon how far behind I am on my normal job duties, it sometimes may take a day or so, but I will get back to you.
You can email john.partlow@tn.gov or employment.security@tn.gov
Thanks for the kind words everyone.
The rules regarding the way state unemployment benefits, EUC, and EB, TAA, DUA and all of the other unemployment programs interact are so complicated that its very hard to briefly explain the rules. To fully explain the rules, it would involve hundreds, if not thousands of pages that everyone would have to read. I am glad to answer specific questions, but eligibility for the programs is such a complicated issue that folks just have to file a claim and then we determine eligibility for the various programs.
Thank you, Mr. Partlow, for your help.