Emergency Unemployment Compensation Questions and Answers

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ABOUT EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION

EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION CLAIMS

What are Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits?
How is an EUC claim like a regular UI claim?
Who may qualify for EUC payments?
Will I receive notification to file an EUC claim?
How do I file an EUC claim application?
How will I know if my EUC claim application is successfully filed?
How many weeks of EUC benefits are available?
Will my EUC claim be backdated?
How long will EUC benefits be available?
What forms will be mailed after an EUC claim is filed?
How can I contact UI Operations about my EUC claim?
Will I receive reminder notices informing me of when to request payment on CUBLine Online or CUBLine?
What is the payment method for benefits?

AVAILABILITY OF ADDITIONAL EUC PAYMENTS

Are additional weeks of EUC benefits available?
What if I stopped requesting EUC benefits and I have not exhausted my EUC maximum benefit amount?
How long will additional EUC benefits be available?
Is job-attached status allowed for EUC?

EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION CLAIMS

What are Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits?

EUC benefits are additional benefits the federal government grants during difficult economic conditions that allow unemployed workers to claim benefits for an increased time period.

How is an EUC claim like a regular UI claim?

The money added to your claim is from the federal government and is administered under Colorado law. In many ways, what you must do to receive EUC benefits is no different from the requirements for your regular UI claim. For both claims, you must:

Be able to work, available for work, and willing to accept suitable work.
Register online with your local workforce center.
Make an active work search unless you are union-attached or job-attached.
Report all hours worked and all earnings received.
Notify UI Operations immediately if you move.

Make your request for payment on your claim via the Colorado Unemployment Benefits Line (CUBLine) system on CUBLine Online. You can also call CUBLine at 303-813-2800 (Denver-metro area) or 1-888-550-2800 (outside Denver-metro area).

NOTE: If you call CUBLine, pay close attention to the instructions as CUBLine has changed. An explanation of the differences between your regular UI claim and an EUC claim is the primary focus of the following questions and answers. Questions and answers about EUC will be updated as new information becomes available. Please review this Web page on a regular basis. Additional EUC information is available on the UI Benefits Overview and Announcements Web site.

Who may qualify for EUC payments?

To be eligible for EUC payments, you must:

Have exhausted available benefits on a current UI claim or have a claim that expired on or after May 5, 2007.
Be currently unemployed or working less than 32 hours per week.

NOTE: If you are working less than 32 hours per week, your weekly gross earnings must be less than the WBA on your regular UI claim and you must report all hours worked and wages expected each week. If you report hours and earnings you may not be eligible for benefit payments. You may be eligible for a payment based on your claims weekly benefit amount.
Not be able to collect regular UI benefits in any other state or U.S. territory or in Canada.
Be able to work, available for work, and actively seeking work.

Will I receive notification to file an EUC claim?

CDLE notifies all potentially eligible claimants as they become eligible to file an EUC claim. Potentially eligible claimants must meet the following criteria:

Filed a UI claim with a benefit year that ended on or after May 5, 2007.
Exhausted UI benefits (out of money) or have an expired claim (past the benefit-year-end date) on a UI claim with a benefit year that ended on or after May 5, 2007.
- and -
Not eligible for a new UI claim.

It is important to follow the filing instructions carefully to avoid delays in processing your EUC application.

How do I file an EUC claim application?

If you are eligible for EUC, visit the EUC Online Application to file an initial EUC claim or to reopen your EUC claim. You can also file your EUC application by calling the Customer Contact Center at 303-318-9000 (Denver-metro area) or 1-800-388-5515 (outside Denver-metro area).

NOTE: Because of the high volume of regular UI claims and EUC claims, you may experience long wait times when calling the Customer Contact Center. You are encouraged to use the EUC Online Application to file for EUC benefits.

Once you file for EUC, if additional information is needed or if UI Operations has more questions about your eligibility for EUC, you will be contacted by telephone or mail.

Processing your EUC application may take up to five weeks to complete.

How will I know if my EUC claim application is successfully filed?

An EUC application is successfully filed if you receive Form UIB-6, Notice of Decision, regarding your actual entitlement to the EUC benefits. If you are eligible to file a new UI claim, the Notice of Decision provides you with that information.

Form EUC-5, Monetary Determination of Emergency Unemployment Compensation, is also mailed to EUC applicants who have filed successfully.

If you are reopening your EUC claim no notification will be mailed and you must make your CUBLine filings to claim benefits.

How many weeks of EUC benefits are available?

Currently, eligible individuals are entitled to a total amount of EUC benefits equal to the lesser of:

20 weeks of a claimant’s established WBA on an initial, regular UI claim.
- or -
Weeks equal to 80 percent of the maximum benefit amount on an initial, regular UI claim.

NOTE: An additional 13 weeks of EUC benefits are available for claimants who exhaust their initial EUC benefits. The last payable date for EUC benefits is the week ending May 29, 2010. The maximum EUC benefits available are a total of 33 weeks of benefits.

Will my EUC claim be backdated?

The day on which you file determines the effective date of the EUC claim. If you file an EUC claim on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, the effective date is the Sunday at the beginning of that week. If you file on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, the effective date is the Sunday at the beginning of the following week.

NOTE: Adjustments to your EUC claim’s effective date may be made only because of notification issues and when good cause can be shown according to the Regulations Concerning Employment Security, 12.1.8. Due to our high call volume, Colorado has adopted a liberal application of establishing the effective date of claims filed.

How long will EUC benefits be available?

The last day an EUC claim can be filed is December 23, 2009, with an effective date of December 20, 2009. The last week EUC benefits will pay to those who are eligible is for the week ending May 29, 2010.

What forms will be mailed after an EUC claim is filed?

Forms you will receive after successfully filing an EUC claim include:

EUC-5, Monetary Determination of Emergency Unemployment Compensation.
EUC-5a, Monetary Determination of Additional Emergency Unemployment Compensation
Form UIB-571, Personal Identification Number.

NOTE: You will receive a new personal identification number (PIN) when filing for or reopening your EUC claim.
Other forms as needed.

How can I contact UI Operations about my EUC claim?

You may call the UI Operations Customer Contact Center at 303-318-9000 (Denver-metro area) or 1-800-388-5515 (outside Denver-metro area). However, you may experience long wait times when calling the Customer Contact Center because of the high volume of regular UI claims and EUC claims.

Will I receive reminder notices informing me of when to request payment on CUBLine Online or CUBLine?

You will receive a reminder notice for the first time you must contact CUBLine Online or CUBLine to request your first EUC payment. After you certify your answers, CUBLine Online or CUBLine will inform you of your next call-in dates.

You are responsible for knowing the dates you must file with CUBLine Online or CUBLine. Use the CUBLine contact log to keep a record of your visits to CUBLine Online or your calls to CUBLine, including the date and time of your contact.

Make your request for payment on your claim via the CUBLine system by visiting CUBLine Online or calling CUBLine at 303-813-2800 (Denver-metro area) or 1-888-550-2800 (outside Denver-metro area).

NOTE: If you call CUBLine, pay close attention to the instructions because CUBLine has changed.

What is the payment method for benefits?

The UI Program issues regular UI and EUC benefit payments either to a Visa® debit card referred to as the Colorado Automated Payment (CAP) Card or by direct deposit into a checking or savings account of your choice.

Visit Colorado Automated Payment (CAP) Card Information and Direct Deposit Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

AVAILABILITY OF ADDITIONAL EUC PAYMENTS

Are additional weeks of EUC benefits available?

The federal government provides up to 13 additional weeks of EUC benefits for states that reach a total three-month average unemployment rate greater than 6 percent. Colorado has reached a three-month (December 2008 and January–February 2009) average unemployment rate greater than 6 percent and Colorado claimants now qualify for up to 13 additional weeks of EUC benefits. The first payable week for this additional EUC extension is the week ending April 18, 2009.

If you are currently filing for EUC benefits, continue to file via CUBLine Online or CUBLine even if you have run out of these benefits. If you need to file for EUC or reopen an existing EUC claim, you may visit the EUC Online Application. The EUC Online Application is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The UI Program will contact all potentially eligible individuals with more information.

What if I stopped requesting EUC benefits and I have not exhausted my EUC maximum benefit amount?

If you stopped filing for EUC benefits and have not been requesting payment, you must reopen your EUC claim. Visit the EUC Online Application to reopen an existing EUC claim. You may also call the Customer Contact Center at 303-318-9000 (Denver-metro area) or 1-800-388-5515 (outside Denver-metro area) to reopen an existing EUC claim. You may experience a long wait time if you call the Customer Contact Center.

How long will additional EUC benefits be available?

The last week for which EUC benefits will be paid to eligible individuals is for the week ending May 29, 2010.

Is job-attached status allowed for EUC?

Having job-attached status means that you are not required to look for work or register for work with the workforce center. Just as with a regular UI benefits claim, job-attachment is allowed for up to 16 weeks on your EUC claim as long as you:

Are unemployed due to a lack of work from your most recent employer, have a recall date within 16 weeks from the week in which you became unemployed, and are available for immediate recall.
Obtain work through a union hiring hall, are properly registered with such hall, and are available for immediate recall.
Have accepted new employment that begins within two weeks from the date the job offer was accepted.
- or -
For up to 2 weeks if you have accepted new employment that begins within two weeks from the date the job offer was accepted.

You must continue to request payment of EUC benefits to CUBLine Online or CUBLine and meet all other eligibility requirements.