Just Released, Washington Employment Security:

Federal sequester requires EUC reductions

The federal sequester legislation that took effect March 1 requires cuts to all federally funded programs, including Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC). The Employment Security Department is preparing to apply the EUC cuts in May. Here are the details.

Cuts apply at the start of an EUC tier

Beginning May 19, 2013, weekly unemployment benefit will be reduced when you move from regular benefits onto EUC – or when you move to the next EUC tier. For example:

• If you start tier 1 before May 19, the reduction will occur when you move to tier 2. Your benefit will not be reduced again when you advance to tier 3.
• If you start tier 2 before May 19, your benefit will be reduced when you move to tier 3.
• People who are already on tier 3 by May 19 will see no reduction.

Benefit will drop by 21.08 percent

The weekly benefit amount for those on EUC will be cut by 21.08 percent from what you received while on regular benefits. For example, someone with a current weekly benefit of $357 will be decreased to $281 ($357 x 0.7892 = $281, rounded down) at the beginning of the next EUC tier.
          To estimate the amount of your reduction, multiply your            current weekly benefit by 0.7892, and round down to the nearest           dollar.

To determine the total amount available to you within each tier of EUC, multiply your reduced weekly benefit amount by the number of weeks for each tier. (Tier 1=14 weeks. Tier 2=14 weeks. Tier 3=9 weeks.)

Minimum weekly benefit also will be reduced

Since EUC is a federal program, the federal law requiring across-the-board reductions takes priority over the state’s minimum weekly benefit. Therefore, anyone receiving the state’s current minimum weekly benefit of $143 will be reduced to $112 at the start of the next EUC tier.

New benefit statements being mailed

When it’s time to move to the next EUC tier, we will automatically mail each person a “Statement of wages and hours” describing the lower weekly benefit and the total amount of benefits available for that tier.

For more information

• Watch this Web alert page. We will post new information as it comes available.
• Visit our EUC Web page.
• Submit a question through our website. Claims-center staff will receive the question and respond to you by email.

Please be aware that claims-center staff will not have any details about how the reduction will affect you until you enter a new tier of EUC and our payment system recalculates your benefits.

Therefore, please do not call the claims center until you receive your new “Statement of wages and hours” in the mail. Then, if you still have questions, contact the EUC claims center at 877-558-8509 (toll-free). Due to high call volumes and budget-related staffing cuts, it may take multiple attempts to reach a claims agent.