July 2, 2008
Action paves way for workers to receive checks
LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor that allows Michigan to participate in the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program. By signing the agreement at the earliest possible time, unemployed workers in Michigan could receive additional benefits the week of July 20.
"We have moved quickly to put our agreement with the federal government in place so Michigan's unemployed workers can receive additional unemployment benefits at the earliest possible date," Granholm said. "No state has been challenged by the nation's economy more than Michigan, so it is important that these federal benefits make their way to our workers sooner rather than later."
Under the agreement, emergency unemployment compensation will pay up to 13 weeks of federally funded jobless benefits to workers who exhaust their regular state unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. Workers will receive the same weekly benefit amount as they received under the state program.
With a signed agreement in place, the state's Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) has begun to identify those unemployed workers who are eligible for the EUC benefits.
Next week, the agency expects to mail out applications and filing instructions to some 230,000 potentially eligible workers. In addition, unemployed workers who are receiving regular unemployment benefits will be mailed the same instructions and application as they near the end of their regular state unemployment benefits.
The UIA is encouraging jobless workers to be patient and not to call the agency immediately to inquire about their eligibility for these federal EUC benefits. Everyone who is potentially eligible should receive their mailed applications by July 18.
Those eligible for EUC must have a UI benefit year ending after May 1, 2007, and have exhausted their regular state unemployment benefits. The EUC program will continue to accept new benefit claims until March 28, 2009, and will end all payments with any week beginning after June 30, 2009.
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