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UPDATED JULY 21, 2008 Emergency Unemployment Compensation Claims
Unemployment Insurance Benefits Claims
Emergency Unemployment Compensation and Regular Unemployment Insurance Benefits Claims
Regular, unemployment insurance (UI) benefits provides temporary income to individuals who are unemployed through no fault of their own. The payment of UI benefits to unemployed workers serves as a stabilizing force during difficult economic times. Information about regular UI claims is available on the UI Benefits Web site, including important information in Publication B-19, Unemployment Insurance Handbook for Claimants. Occasionally, difficult economic conditions are such that the time period for which an unemployed worker can claim UI benefits is increased and federal legislation for emergency benefits is put into effect. On June 27, 2008, the U.S. Congress passed emergency-benefits legislation, Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC). The President signed EUC into law on June 30, 2008. Governor Ritter signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor to enact EUC in Colorado. EUC provides for up to 13 additional weeks of UI benefits for eligible, unemployed or partially unemployed individuals for weeks beginning on or after July 6, 2008. Answers to questions about EUC eligibility follow. Questions and answers about EUC will be updated as new information becomes available. Please review this Web page on a regular basis. In what ways is an EUC claim like a regular UI claim? This answer was updated on July 21, 2008. The money added to your claim is from the federal government and is administered under Colorado law. So, 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:
An explanation of the differences between your regular UI claim and an EUC claim is the primary focus of these questions and answers. EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION CLAIMS Who may qualify for EUC payments? To be eligible for EUC payments, you must:
Will I receive notification to file an EUC claim? This answer was updated on July 21, 2008. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment is placing telephone calls and/or mailing Form EUC-1, Notice of Potential Eligibility for Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC Notice), with EUC filing instructions to the households of approximately 130,000 individuals:
It is important to follow the filing instructions carefully to avoid delays in processing your EUC application. EUC claims cannot be filed over the regular UI Operations Customer Contact telephone numbers. NOTE: If you receive an EUC Notice, carefully read the insert titled “Quick Facts About Emergency Unemployment Compensation,” for important information. If you have already filed an EUC claim, do not file again as this will delay the processing of your claim. How do I file an EUC claim application? Call an automated, telephone-response system at 1-888-563-4280 (toll free), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to file an EUC application. Applications can be filed only by calling this telephone number. Please do not use this telephone number for any reason other than filing your EUC claim application. Carefully listen to and follow the instructions to complete an EUC application. The UI Program does not charge a fee to file an EUC or UI application. To file an EUC application, you are asked to respond to the following questions:
Once you answer these questions, your EUC application is filed. 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. EUC adds additional benefits from the federal government to your UI claim. Your claim is administered under Colorado law. How will I know if my EUC claim application was successfully filed? This question and answer was added on July 21, 2008. Beginning the week of July 21, 2008, Form EUC-5, Monetary Determination of Emergency Unemployment Compensation, is mailed to EUC applicants who:
Additional eligibility information may be needed to successfully file an EUC claim. You will be contacted by telephone or mail if additional information is needed. Additional information may be required if:
How many weeks of EUC benefits are available? The amount in your EUC account is equal to the lesser of:
What is the earliest effective date on an EUC claim? The earliest effective date on an EUC claim is the week beginning July 6, 2008. EUC benefits will pay to qualified individuals beginning the week of July 6, 2008. EUC benefits will not pay for weeks prior to July 6, 2008. Will my EUC claim be backdated to July 6, 2008? This answer was updated on July 21, 2008. If you file an EUC claim on or before 11:59 p.m. on August 2, 2008, the effective date on your EUC claim is July 6, 2008. If you file an EUC claim on or after August 3, 2008, the day on which you file determines the EUC claim effective date. 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. How long will EUC benefits be available? The last day an EUC claim can be filed is March 25, 2009, for a claim with an effective date of March 22, 2009. The last week EUC benefits will pay to those who are eligible is for the week ending July 4, 2009. What forms will be mailed after an EUC claim is filed? This answer was updated on July 21, 2008. Forms you will receive after filing an EUC claim include:
How can I contact UI Operations about my EUC claim? EUC claim applications are filed over an automated, telephone-response system at 1-888-563-4280 (toll free). This number is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (see “How do I file an EUC claim application?”). EUC claim applications cannot be filed through the UI Operations Customer Contact Center telephone numbers. Sending an e-mail to the UI Program is not offered as a way to contact UI Operations about your claim. Questions and answers about EUC will be updated as new information becomes available. Please review this Web page on a regular basis. 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. Additional reminder notices are not sent after this first time. You are responsible for knowing the dates you must file with CUBLine or CUBLine Online. Use the CUBLine contact log to keep a record of your calls to CUBLine or your visits to CUBLine Online, including the date and time of your contact and the number of weeks claimed. 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). UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS CLAIMS What are the requirements for eligibility on a new, regular UI claim in Colorado instead of EUC? To be eligible for a new, regular UI claim in Colorado, the initial UI claim must be expired and the benefit-year ending date must be in the past. In addition, you must:
EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION AND REGULAR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS CLAIMS The answers to questions below provides a description of what is needed on either a regular UI claim or a claim for EUC. What information do I need to file a claim? The information you need to file an EUC claim is the same as for a regular UI claim and includes:
Is information available on CUBLine about my claim balance and payment status? This question and answer was modified on July 21, 2008. You may check your claim and payment status by calling CUBLine at 303-813-2800 (Denver-metro area) or 1-888-550-2800 (outside Denver-metro area) and choosing Option 1. This claim and payment status provides information about the:
What is my weekly benefit amount? The weekly payment on your EUC claim is equal to the WBA on your initial, regular UI claim. How do I report a change of address or telephone number? Notification of EUC filing instructions will be delivered to the address and telephone number of record. The U.S. Postal Service will forward letters to the forwarding address on record. If your mailing address or telephone number has changed, you may report the change by calling CUBLine at 303-813-2800 (Denver-metro area) or 1-888-550-2800 (outside Denver-metro area). Visit the Address Change Instructions Web page for more information. How long will it take to complete the processing of a regular UI claim or an EUC claim application and receive payment? The processing of a regular UI claim or an an EUC claim application can take up to five weeks to complete. If you are found to be eligible for either regular UI or EUC, payment will be deposited to the Colorado Automated Payment (CAP) Card for any payable weeks you report to:
What is the payment method for benefits? Regular UI benefits and EUC benefits are deposited to your personal CAP Card, a Visa® debit card issued by CDLE through its agent Chase Bank (Chase). Checks were mailed to pay UI benefits until May 2008, when the method of payment changed to the CAP Card. CAP Cards were not mailed to claimants with inactive claims. If you have not received a CAP Card, Chase will mail a CAP Card and enrollment information to you after you file an EUC claim. Your CAP Card will arrive in a plain, white envelope. Do not throw away this envelope. Sign your CAP Card when you receive it, and carefully read all the enrollment information. Follow the instructions to activate the CAP Card as soon as you receive it by calling Chase Customer Service at 1-866-316-3925 (toll free). A CAP Card is valid for three years. Keep your CAP Card through the expiration date on the card for payment on your current or future EUC or UI claims. You may visit the Colorado Automated Payment (CAP) Card Web site for more information. Will I receive a Chase PIN for my CAP Card? In addition to your UI PIN for use on your regular UI or EUC claim, you will select a Chase 4-digit PIN when you activate your CAP Card. Your Chase PIN is the 4-digit number that you enter on the keypad at automated teller machines and retail locations. You may access cardholder information at www.myaccount.chase.com using your Chase 4-digit PIN. How can I contact Chase about my CAP Card? For questions about your CAP Card, contact Chase Customer Service at 1-866-316-3925 (toll free), visit their Web site at www.chase.com, or visit their cardholder Web site at www.myaccount.chase.com. The UI Operations Customer Contact Center cannot answer questions about your CAP Card. What are the work-search requirements? To qualify for regular UI or EUC benefits, you must be physically able to work and be available to work immediately if a job is offered. You are required to actively seek work and keep a work-search log. For your EUC claim, you must make the same number of job contacts each week as were required on your initial, regular UI claim. 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 on your EUC claim as long as you:
You must continue to request payment of EUC benefits to CUBLine Online or CUBLine and meet all other eligibility requirements. What are the reporting requirements? For UI and EUC benefit payments, you are required to report your availability for work every other week to:
NOTE: If you have a current UI claim on file and your claim is nearing exhaustion (almost out of benefits), continue to file with CUBLine or CUBLine Online 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 and the number of weeks claimed. |