Federal emergency unemployment ends in December

Affects those collecting more than 25 weeks; regular unemployment continues

[December 10, 2012]  CHICAGO -- A federal unemployment insurance program beyond the initial 25-week regular state program will expire at the end of 2012, according to a reminder from officials with the Illinois Department of Employment Security.

The federal program is referred to as emergency unemployment compensation, or EUC. When federal lawmakers passed the last extension of the program, they included a Dec. 29 ending date. Under current law, no EUC can be paid for weeks ending after that. Regular state benefits will remain in effect.

Illinois businesses pay into the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund to provide for the regular unemployment program, which lasts for 25 weeks for individuals who first claimed the benefit in 2012.

Earlier this year the extended benefit program, or EB, expired after specific thresholds were met, including a falling unemployment rate. The thresholds were written into federal law. EB provided benefits for up to 20 weeks of unemployment insurance.

EUC was divided into Tiers I, II, III and IV. Collectively, they provided up to 53 weeks of unemployment insurance. This program was federally funded, and Congress enacted the EUC tiers at various times under Presidents Bush and Obama. This is the program that ends Dec. 29.

Unemployment insurance claimants will be individually notified that, by federal law, their benefits will end.

[Text from Illinois Department of Employment Security file received from the Illinois Office of Communication and Information]