U.C extensions

USW Local 2-232

formerly PACE 7-232

Representing employees at Briggs & Stratton Corp. and Strattec Security Corp. in Milwaukee, WI

Membership Meeting

Sunday July 25th, 2010

USW Local 2-232 Office

8500 W. Capital Dr. LL 101 Milwaukee

9:30a.m.

Election for Trustee at Large

will take place during this meeting.

Members are urged to Attend this Meeting.

U.C extensions

Unemployment extensions now available

On March 11th, an eight week extension in unemployment benefits went into effect in Wisconsin. This extension was approved prior to the Federal extension. The federal extension has been approved and it replaces the state extension with a federal extension of up to 13 weeks of extended benefits. The federal law reaches back one more year than Wisconsin did, meaning more people became eligible.

The state has already notified approximately 28,000 workers who have exhausted benefit claims begun after March 11, 2001, of benefits available under Wicsonsin’s Temporary Supplemental Plan. Beginning March 25th, they began sending notices to the additional 36,000 workers who have exhausted benefit claims begun between March 19, 2000 and March 10, 2001, of potential eligibility for benefits under the federal extended benefit program.

On March 9, the Governor signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor giving Wisconsin access to additional federal unemployment benefits for workers who have exhausted their benefits. Under the Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) Act of 2002, additional benefits are first payable for the week ending March 16, 2002. The last week for which TEUC benefits are payable is the week ending December 28, 2002.

To qualify for TEUC, the claimants:

	Established an unemployment benefit year March 19, 2000 or later;
	Have base period wages for that benefit year totaling at least 40 times their weekly benefit rate;
	Exhausted their regular unemployment benefits or have come to the end of their benefit year; and,
	Are not eligible for regular unemployment benefits in any state or under any federal program.

Although the state is waiting for final policies and procedures regarding the TEUC program from the federal government, staff has started the programming that will allow the state to process and pay additional claims.

The current plan will allow the state to begin paying TEUC benefits by April 6. Those who are not yet receiving benefits are encouraged to wait to file their claims until they receive a written notice to do so.