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Additional Unemployment Benefits Available

(Helena) On March 9, 2002 Governor Judy Martz signed an agreement with the
US Secretary of Labor that allows Montana to participate in the "Job
Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002."

The Act allows unemployed workers who have exhausted their regular
unemployment insurance benefits to file for an extension of up to thirteen weeks.
The extension is referred to as the "Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2002 (TEUC). Wendy Keating, Commissioner of the Montana Department
of Labor and Industry,
said. "The program will provide important relief for unemployed workers who are having difficulty finding work."

In addition the Act provides for a second extension if the state meets
certain criteria. At this time, Montana does not meet the minimum
requirements to activate the second criteria.

TEUC will allow eligible individuals who have claimed state unemployment
insurance benefits after March 10, 2001 to draw up to 50 per cent of their
last claim but no more than 13 weeks of benefits. These individuals must
have exhausted their Montana UI claim and not be eligible for regular UI
benefits in any state or Canada. Claimants are eligible for the Weekly
Benefit Amount (WBA) that they received on their regular claim.

These individuals will be eligible for weeks of benefits starting March 10,
2002. The extension is scheduled to end December 31, 2002. The Department
of Labor and Industry will begin notifying potentially eligible Montanans
this week. However, it will take at least a month to institute the program
and pay benefits. Payment will be retroactive to the week of March 10, 2002.
The TEUC benefits are entirely federally funded. Montana employers will not
be charged for benefits paid in this program.

Eligible claimants should wait for a couple of weeks to receive their letter
and application form. After two weeks, if they do not receive a letter and
believe they are eligible, they may call either call center at (406)
247-1000 or (406) 444-2545. They may also download the form from the
Unemployment Insurance Division’s Web site at http://www.uid.dli.state.mt.us.

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