What does EUC mean in NYS Department of Labor unemployment terms?
I keep seeing references to 'EUC' in some old unemployment forums and I'm trying to understand what this means. I'm currently dealing with my first unemployment claim through NYS Department of Labor and want to make sure I understand all the terminology. Is EUC still a thing or was it something from before? My claim is currently in adjudication and I'm trying to research everything I can about the process.
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AstroAce
EUC stands for Emergency Unemployment Compensation - it was a federal program that provided extended benefits beyond the regular state unemployment. It's not active anymore though. It was used during economic downturns to give people extra weeks of benefits after their regular UI ran out. NYS Department of Labor would administer it but it was federally funded.
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Ethan Clark
•Oh okay so that's why I can't find current info about it! Thanks for clarifying. So now if my regular unemployment runs out there's no automatic extension?
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Yuki Kobayashi
Yeah EUC was big during the 2008 recession and came back during COVID but it's gone now. The last version ended in 2021. Now you just get your regular 26 weeks through NYS Department of Labor unless Congress passes something new. During bad economic times they sometimes bring back extended programs but nothing right now.
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Carmen Vega
•This is correct. Right now we only have regular UI benefits and the state extended benefits program which rarely kicks in. EUC required federal legislation each time it was implemented.
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Andre Rousseau
wait so theres no extended benefits at all anymore?? that seems crazy with how hard it is to find work right now
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AstroAce
•There is a state extended benefits program but it only triggers when unemployment rates hit certain thresholds. It's not active in NY right now because the unemployment rate isn't high enough to qualify.
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Zoe Stavros
Since you mentioned your claim is in adjudication - that's completely separate from EUC or any extended benefits. Adjudication is just NYS Department of Labor reviewing your initial claim to make sure you qualify. It can take a few weeks but has nothing to do with extensions. Focus on that first before worrying about what happens after your 26 weeks.
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Ethan Clark
•Good point, I'm probably getting ahead of myself. The adjudication is taking forever though - it's been 3 weeks already with no updates.
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Carmen Vega
•If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor about your adjudication status, I had luck using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call.
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Jamal Harris
I remember EUC from when I was laid off in 2020 - it was a lifesaver back then. Gave me like 13 extra weeks I think? But yeah its definitely not around anymore. The whole system feels way more limited now.
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