Unemployment, compensation, phased out - KNOE 8 News; KNOE-TV; KNOE.com |

BATON ROUGE, La., (KNOE 8 News) – Louisiana's economy has strengthened enough to trigger the phasing out of a portion of federally funded Emergency Unemployment Compensation for the state's long-term unemployed.

After Saturday, Jan. 12, job seekers who have exhausted all 26 weeks of their state unemployment insurance benefits will be able to apply for a maximum of 27 weeks of federal EUC benefits.

Louisiana's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has averaged below 7 percent for three months, triggering the phase out of Tier 3 of EUC benefits effective Jan. 12. The program has changed several times since it was implemented, but Tier 3 currently provides nine weeks of EUC benefits in Louisiana for those who qualified.

According to federal requirements, the phasing out of Tier 3 EUC benefits will proceed as follows:

   · Any individual who has begun receiving EUC Tier 3 benefits, or who
      exhausts EUC Tier 2 by Jan. 12, will be allowed to receive up to nine
      weeks of Tier 3 benefits as long as they remain eligible.
   · Anyone who exhausts Tier 1 or Tier 2 EUC benefits after Jan. 12 will
      not be eligible for Tier 3, even if they are still unemployed.

Approximately 2,500 individuals are receiving Tier 3 benefits in Louisiana.

"While the extra weeks of federally funded unemployment benefits have been helpful for those who truly needed it, the vast majority of Louisianans have been able to return to work without having to rely on any emergency unemployment compensation," LWC Executive Director Curt Eysink said.

Job seekers who receive state unemployment or EUC benefits are required to use free services from the LWC, including skills assessments and development, job search and placement services, information on labor markets and training opportunities and, for those who qualify, financial assistance for training.

Find the nearest Business & Career Solutions Center, the handy Louisiana Star Jobs tool and other resources at Louisiana's employment homepage, www.laworks.net.