Unemployment benefit year ending letter from UI confusing

[stu103]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Wisconsin
I have been unemployed for one year now and received a letter telling me if I have earnings of "at least" $2904 since the beginning of my benefit year I may qualify for a NEW benefit year. I am about $80 short of that amount. So, I am not qualified to establish a NEW benefit year. I am currently collecting UI on the extended benefit program of the state not the federal extension recently established. Since I do not qualify for the new benefit year I wanted to return the letter stating that as requested in the letter. However, at the signature line it states that, "I understand that I will not receive any benefits at this time. I will file my application for benefits when I decide to begin a new benefit year. "I cannot have my UI benefits halted so I tried to call the Call Center for 5 days and over 200 times with no luck getting through. This morning I got through and into the menu system. Once I got to the queue for a "specialist" I was told that the system was full and the call is ending. 25 tries later and nothing but busy signals. Hence this request for help.
My questions are:
1. Will my extended benefits continue if I do NOT start a new benefit year?
2. If I establish a new benefit year at the pay total I have will that reset the clock so to speak and only be eligible for the weeks totaling the benefit allowed with no eligibility for future extended benefits?

Thanks in advance for any help. I will have access to a computer all day so I can respond to any follow-up questions needed.

 

[Beth3]

Unless a UC adjudicator in your State happens to wander by this message board, which isn't likely, I doubt anyone can answer your question. I'm sure you want to bang your head against the wall but if you can't find that information on-line on your State's DOL/unemployent division website, then you're going to have to keep calling. Sorry.

 

[commentator]

Just general knowledge here, but all states are pretty much the same about SOME things.. if you haven't got reearnings to set up a new claim, you can in most cases continue the extension you are currently on until Feb 28, 2009. At this time, unless Congress passes another bill, everything will come to an end. In other words, you'll get to draw out the extention you are on, but then it will stop. No more.

But as you said "...since I can't afford for my benefits to stop" well..unemployment is not based on your need, at all. If you hadn't had an extension they'd have stopped several months ago, regardless of your financial situation. And if you hadn't filed the new claim when you were supposed to, they'd have stopped everything and never started again.

Unemployment claims are good for one year from the date filed. There must be a new claim filed when you reach the Benefit Year End that is shown on your claim.

Since you do not have re-earnings to start a new claim, you should start looking very hard for something else to do. You are soon coming to the end of even any extensions. So try to get even a low paying temp job, because then if you are laid off again from this job, you'd be able to draw your claim again. If you get in $80 more dollars, which is what you indicate you need in re-earnings, then you would be able to draw out the new claim, which is for how ever many weeks it says, and for whatever weekly amount. However, if you are not drawing an extension on Feb 28, 2010, as it is right now, there will be no further extensions available to you. This is nationwide.

You were trying to get in on a Monday. Mondays are always the busiest days of the week. Try again early in the morning, later in the week. THey should tell you approximately the same as what I am saying.

 

[stu103]

Thanks for the replies. A buddy of mine told me to send in the letter but do not sign it and they will call me. I was skeptical but sure enough, I got a call yesterday and was given an explanation of the form. The gentlemen I spoke with says that the form is confusing to many, way to much said. It can be summed up in two sentences. Are you currently on an extension? Do you still need to be on unemployment? Anyway, I have it straightened out and am continuing on with my benefits. Commentator is spot on with his response. Excellent post. Thank you very much.