Pennsylvania will likely lose EB by May 20

First topic message reminder :

FIRST PLEASE READ THE ARTICLE BELOW. IT IS NOT ONLY FOR PENNSYLVANIANS BUT FOR MOST STATES. THEN READ THIS - Please contact Governor Corbett at PA.gov and PA Dept. of L&I's Minority Chair, Senator Christine Tartaglione at her website http://www.senatortartaglione.com/ and plead with them to enact legislation to extend Extended Benefits (EB) ASAP. If anyone can put together a general letter and post it, please do. We are likely to lose EB by May 20th but I do not know what the deadline is for applying to the Federal Government for the Extended Benefits (EB). Remember Pennsylvania is a RED state (Republican Governor) and not likely to want to extend these "free" Federal funds (nuts ain't it). Also any other legislators which you can list from PA, please do and give us their contact information. We must fax, call and email now. We don't have much time and remember THEY SCREWED US OUT OF TIER 4 AND POSSIBLY EB BY TRADING TAX CUTS TO THE RICH FOR AN UNEMPLOYMENT EXTENSION OF 13 MONTHS. HAD WE KNOWN MOST OF US WOULD LOSE EB BY THE MIDDLE OF JULY, WE WOULD HAVE SPIT ON THAT DEAL. AS IT IS TAX CUTS FOR THE RICH ARE NOW PAID FOR BY CUTTING EB. SO PLEASE GET TO IT, WE NEED YOUr HELP. ALSO, PLEASE CHECK YOUR OWN STATE NOW, THEY ARE BEING VERY QUIET ABOUT THIS. MAKES ME WONDER


PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE
On April - 2 - 2011 References at bottom

As more get jobs, those who haven't lose benefits.

The prognosticators are optimistic to the max when it comes to the nations employment situation， as they expect the U.S. Labor Department to report Friday morning that the nations employment expanded by 180，000 to 200，000 in March."Businesses are hiring， and with layoffs being minimal， it appears that the labor market is indeed getting better，" said Joel L. Naroff， of Naroff Economics in Bucks County.That optimism scares Sharon Dietrich， a community legal-service lawyer who has long been one of the chief advocates for the unemployed in Pennsylvania.She is concerned because， even if the job market is starting to blossom， 90，000 unemployed Pennsylvanians could soon find themselves ineligible for part of their jobless benefits. That is about one in six of the states unemployed.The first 45，000 will lose their benefits for six weeks， starting Saturday."People without jobs will be even more out of [the publics] mind as the unemployment rate declines and economic optimism increases，" Dietrich said."But the statewide unemployment rate is still 8 percent， and thousands of jobless people remain as desperate as if it were the middle of the recession，" she said.For technical reasons， the benefits problem is more likely to affect unemployed Pennsylvanians than the jobless in New Jersey and Delaware.And now， a primer on unemployment benefits:In all three states， as in most states， the newly unemployed begin by receiving 26 weeks of state-funded unemployment benefits. Since the recession began in December 2007， the federal government has funded an additional 53 weeks worth of payments， broken up into segments.The last six weeks of the 53 are known as tier four， which are designed to phase out as a states average three-month unemployment rate falls below 8.5 percent.With a 9.2 percent unemployment rate， New Jerseys labor market is still tough enough so its jobless qualify for those six weeks. Delawares rate also qualifies.But Pennsylvanias three-month average just dropped below 8.5 percent， warranting the end of the tier-four benefits.After the regular state and emergency federal benefits run out， there is still one more set of benefits for the long-term unemployed – a 20-week block known as Extended Benefits， now funded by the federal government.These， too， are designed to phase out， state by state， as conditions improve. So， how is improvement measured? The long-standing formula compares a states average unemployment rate for the most recent three months with the same period in 2009. If it is 10 percent higher now， the benefits stay. If not， they vanish.But heres the scenario. In 2009， the unemployment rate was worsening. Now its improving. That means the gap between the two years is narrowing， so it is more likely that those benefits will go away.Pennsylvania will likely reach that point by May 20， with all extended benefits coming to an end as of June 11， the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry projects. The department estimates that 45，000 jobless will be cut off at some point during the 20 weeks.But many more will be affected because they will not receive any of the 20 weeks of benefits after they use up their earlier payments.To cope with this situation at a time when 13.6 million Americans are unemployed， Congress changed the "look back" to three years， comparing 2011 to 2008.But there is a catch. Each state has to agree. Delaware already has， and a bill is awaiting Gov. Christies signature in New Jersey. No word from his office on his plans.In Pennsylvania， there is no pending legislation. Sen. Christine Tartaglione (D.， Phila.)， the minority leader of the state Senates labor and industry committee， plans to introduce a measure early in April."We are in the situation now， where state legislators are convening and they have to get to this st， before their state triggers off" the extended benefits， said Maurice Emsellem， who monitors the issue for the National Employment Law Project， a national advocacy group."Once you trigger off， you are off for 13 weeks，" he said.Potential opponents to Tartagliones measure include large employers and municipalities such as the City of Philadelphia that fund unemployment benefits themselves and do not tap into the statewide unemployment insurance fund.For John Di Ciurcio， the issue is now moot: He was laid off as a help-desk specialist in April 2009， and he exhausted all state and federal benefits two weeks ago. But he cannot imagine why support for the unemployed would diminish now."They are saying the economy is coming back， but jobs are the last to come back，" he said. "Maybe those benefits will buy you a little time to hopefully get a job."

http://www.lenely.com/as-more-get-jobs-those-who-havent-ce-benefits-losemployment-l/
and
http://articles.philly.com/2011-04-01/news/29370840_1_unemployment-rate-unemployment-benefits-extended-benefits/2[i][u]

Does pennsylvania have hub benefits or is the unemployment rate too low?

agnes35111 wrote:Does pennsylvania have hub benefits or is the unemployment rate too low?

Welcome! PA, at the moment does, however they will be shutting off very soon. There are other residents of PA on the forum who have been updating their efforts to save the program. See this thread for more information, and good luck!

http://www.unemployed-friends2.org/t1604-pennsylvania-will-likely-lose-eb-by-may-20

Again, good work, Dazed!

I got an e-mail from one of the guys I'm working on this with here in Pgh. and he says that Sen. Tartagleone's office told him that she will be introducing it into committee around the 25th and that they have until July to get the bill through. I know, I know, I'm worried that that's too late as well.

How about this idea: maybe one of us should call the reporter at the Inquirer who wrote that article and ask her how she arrived at those dates that she cited? If you want me to, I will...just let me know. You've certainly done your part.

And in closing, I'm sure you will join with me in saying:

LET'S GO PENS!!!!

It gets worse. The UE rate in Pa dropped to 7.8%in March. Not only is the 2 year lookback an issue but I believe HUP-EB 7 weeks will go away if the 3 month average drops below 8%
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_81220_5278_570049_43/http%3B/pubcontent.state.pa.us/publishedcontent/publish/cop_hhs/dli/_l_i_enterprise_news___media/media_portlets/newsitems/pennsylvania_s_employment_situation__march_2011.html

bth13 wrote:It gets worse. The UE rate in Pa dropped to 7.8%in March. Not only is the 2 year lookback an issue but I believe HUP-EB 7 weeks will go away if the 3 month average drops below 8%
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_81220_5278_570049_43/http%3B/pubcontent.state.pa.us/publishedcontent/publish/cop_hhs/dli/_l_i_enterprise_news___media/media_portlets/newsitems/pennsylvania_s_employment_situation__march_2011.html

I just saw that the rate dropped. Tell that to the long term unemployed that no one wants to hire. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

JoanB wrote:Again, good work, Dazed!

I got an e-mail from one of the guys I'm working on this with here in Pgh. and he says that Sen. Tartagleone's office told him that she will be introducing it into committee around the 25th and that they have until July to get the bill through. I know, I know, I'm worried that that's too late as well.

How about this idea: maybe one of us should call the reporter at the Inquirer who wrote that article and ask her how she arrived at those dates that she cited? If you want me to, I will...just let me know. You've certainly done your part.

And in closing, I'm sure you will join with me in saying:

LET'S GO PENS!!!!

Oh jeez, they wouldn't let your Penguin picture here, oh I found it. Look if we don't win, of course I would want the Penguins to win. I don't understand about your friend saying they have until July to get this passed, by that time unemployment in this RED state will be 2%, haha. Our EB ends on June 9th, I think. Once it ends it is a three month wait. I think there must be something wrong with that. I can't think of anything after I got this nasty email from that woman at the Inquirer.

Makes me think that either no one reads The Inquirer or they do not allow it free online, the are coming out of bankruptcy. Feel free to call her. Did she say something here. If she did, I missed it, but I gave her a good nudge this morning. I also called her "Joan" instead of "Jane" and did she take offense to that. Oh well, I like Joan, you and not so much Jane. I was so tired, I don't know what I wrote to her, I will have to look but it was a lot and she took extreme offense.

What really worries me is the unemployment rate dropping to 7.8%, however they made a mistake in January, so perhaps this is another mistake. Or another RED lie. The Republicans are really out to get us.

I don't know Joan, something is very wrong when NJ goes up, and we go down. I know I should have moved to NJ years ago. Can I have your thoughts on this, I am really concerned about about the July deadline.

And in closing, I'm sure you will join with me in saying "Lets go FLYERS."

Dazed

Thanks for updating with that, bth13. I don't know what HUP-EB is...can you explain it to me?

Dazed, I somehow missed that you already contacted the Inquirer. I just don't know what to think. I'll tell you what...I'm going to call my state rep's office tomorrow and ask them if they can find out what the deal is with this. I haven't talked to his office yet, but I think that in general rep's offices are more responsive to their constituents and mine is a good guy. He even called me back personally once, and trust me, I'm a nobody.

But I have to tell you dear, you are no fun to goad over hockey. If you ever put up a Flyers logo and I quote your post, I am not going to copy that part.

@JoanB-
Alternatively, a state may trigger on by its regular unemployment rates: it can provide 13 weeks of Extended Benefits when the average unemployment rate over the past three months is 6.5 percent or higher, and 20 weeks when the average unemployment rate is 8.0 percent or higher

wow, go figure, NJ's unemployment, even with 4k new jobs last month, the unemployment rate went to 9.3%, up from 9.2%

JoanB wrote:Thanks for updating with that, bth13. I don't know what HUP-EB is...can you explain it to me?

Dazed, I somehow missed that you already contacted the Inquirer. I just don't know what to think. I'll tell you what...I'm going to call my state rep's office tomorrow and ask them if they can find out what the deal is with this. I haven't talked to his office yet, but I think that in general rep's offices are more responsive to their constituents and mine is a good guy. He even called me back personally once, and trust me, I'm a nobody.

But I have to tell you dear, you are no fun to goad over hockey. If you ever put up a Flyers logo and I quote your post, I am not going to copy that part.

Oh don't you know I was goading you, we hate the Penguins a lot.
You've had some very, very good players in days gone by though, haha.
Happy now Joan.

Yes, please do get a hold of your friend, rep and can you check on the State Senator too. They have heard enough from me. It is still workable, the 13 weeks, but the HUP, High Unemployment Period - 6 weeks, which comes after EB 13 weeks, is probably down the drain...I am going to get back to my writing now.

Oh check your mail. Talk tomorrow, Really Dazed

the previous 3 month moving average has to be below 8%

Chubz wrote:the previous 3 month moving average has to be below 8%

Chubz on EB Extended Benefits the tur 3-month moving average has to be 6.5% or above. On HUP High Unemployment Benefits the tur 3-month moving average must be 8% or 8.5% I forget which. However, on a one or two year look back EB and HUB must be 10% higher than it was in the previous one or two years. The Federal Government realized since the employment rates were dropping, they gave the states the option of adopting a 3-year look back which would allow more states to receive EB & HUP.

On another note, this is how our Governor Corbett felt about benefits of any kind prior to being elected:

The Republican candidate for governor in Pennsylvania says that extended unemployment benefits discourage the jobless from looking for work. "The jobs are there, but if we keep extending unemployment, people are just going to sit there," Pennsylvania attorney general Tom Corbett told radio reporter Scott Detrow last week****. "I've literally had construction companies tell me, 'I can't get people to come back to work until -- they say, 'We'll come back when unemployment runs out.'" This week Corbett said he... MORE

Now, it really gets me when he talks about construction companies can't get people, I ain't seen much construction going on last year or lately, and don't expect to.

****this was last summer

Reference http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/lindaj3884/tom-corbett-says-the-unem_n_644379_53551086.html

I think we are dead in the water as far as EB is concerned. Sad state of affairs.

Chubz wrote:wow, go figure, NJ's unemployment, even with 4k new jobs last month, the unemployment rate went to 9.3%, up from 9.2%

I think this might have something to do with the birth/death rate, they are always throwing something in there. This year PA reopened a lot of mines and added over 12,000 jobs @ $10/hour. Way to go Gov. Corbett.

OK, I called my rep...not so helpful after all. But I talked to a very nice woman at my state senator's office who promised me that she would find out what the real date is. She actually treated me like I was sane and seemed like she understood my concern, unlike everyone else I've talked to.

She might have been just blowing smoke, but I really got the feeling that she understood, cared, and was going to get after it. We'll see.

(as an aside, the reason this is the first time I've talked to this woman is because I thought that my senator was another guy and have been calling that office...oopsie...hey, I can name US senators and reps like some people can name sports stars, but state pols, not so much. I'm learning, though!)

You go girl. Thank you. Dazed

Here is Pennsylvania look back for 2008, in case anyone might be interested:

2008 Jan 6393468(B) 6097051(B) 296417(B) 4.6(B)
2008 Feb 6406615(B) 6103976(B) 302639(B) 4.7(B)
2008 Mar 6414448(B) 6107592(B) 306856(B) 4.8(B)
2008 Apr 6425387(B) 6108027(B) 317360(B) 4.9(B)
2008 May 6428413(B) 6106327(B) 322086(B) 5.0(B)
2008 Jun 6438295(B) 6104574(B) 333721(B) 5.2(B)
2008 Jul 6446174(B) 6103559(B) 342615(B) 5.3(B)
2008 Aug 6453204(B) 6102454(B) 350750(B) 5.4(B)
2008 Aug 6453204(B) 6102454(B) 350750(B) 5.4(B)
2008 Sep 6461515(B) 6098632(B) 362883(B) 5.6(B)
2008 Oct 6467258(B) 6088657(B) 378601(B) 5.9(B)
2008 Nov 6468578(B) 6069987(B) 398591(B) 6.2(B)
2008 Dec 6460750(B) 6042616(B) 418134(B) 6.5(B)
2009 Jan 6450811(B) 6010079(B) 440732(B) 6.8(B)
2009 Feb 6438557(B) 5976917(B) 461640(B) 7.2(B)
2009 Mar 6428301(B) 5946289(B) 482012(B) 7.5(B)
2009 Apr 6419974(B) 5918667(B) 501307(B) 7.8(B)
2009 May 6404218(B) 5892441(B) 511777(B) 8.0(B)
2009 Jun 6388519(B) 5867770(B) 520749(B) 8.2(B)
2009 Jul 6374555(B) 5844872(B) 529683(B) 8.3(B)
2009 Aug 6360378(B) 5824517(B) 535861(B) 8.4(B)
2009 Sep 6346660(B) 5807967(B) 538693(B) 8.5(B)
2009 Oct 6335994(B) 5795561(B) 540433(B) 8.5(B)
2009 Nov 6335087(B) 5788522(B) 546565(B) 8.6(B)
2009 Dec 6338334(B) 5787112(B) 551222(B) 8.7(B)
2010 Jan 6347173(B) 5791080(B) 556093(B) 8.8(B)
2010 Feb 6357631(B) 5797419(B) 560212(B) 8.8(B)
2010 Mar 6362567(B) 5801627(B) 560940(B) 8.8(B)
2010 Apr 6360124(B) 5801328(B) 558796(B) 8.8(B)
2010 May 6351625(B) 5796647(B) 554978(B) 8.7(B)
2010 Jun 6339344(B) 5789683(B) 549661(B) 8.7(B)
2010 Jul 6327027(B) 5783304(B) 543723(B) 8.6(B)
2010 Aug 6321915(B) 5780904(B) 541011(B) 8.6(B)
2010 Sep 6321338(B) 5782101(B) 539237(B) 8.5(B)
2010 Oct 6323359(B) 5785054(B) 538305(B) 8.5(B)
2010 Nov 6322447(B) 5787758(B) 534689(B) 8.5(B)
2010 Dec 6326175(B) 5790894(B) 535281(B) 8.5(B)
2011 Jan 6345975 5821406 524569 8.3
2011 Feb 6362023(P) 5850812(P) 511211(P) 8.0(P)
B : Reflects revised population controls, model reestimation, and new seasonal adjustment.
P : Preliminary

See where we fall from 8.7, this is where Gov. Corbett opened the mines again, increased workers by almost 13,000, paid them $10/hour. Man I hope for his sake and the workers those mines are safe.

Wow, $10/hour for working down in mine. I was in one of those for just a few hours once. It's not a place you want to be every day for that kind of money, although I'm sure that with the economy the way it is, people were lining up for those jobs.

Oh, Dazed, I felt bad that I was so obnoxious before about the hockey stuff so I made a Flyers logo for you, sweetie

Have any updates come out about the EB cut-off yet? Have the EB recipients even been notified?

Nice artwork, Joan!

DesperateInRI wrote:Have any updates come out about the EB cut-off yet? Have the EB recipients even been notified?

Nice artwork, Joan!

Everyone is telling us that they have until July to get the legislation through for the three-year look back, but nobody is citing any official document where it says that. I would feel much more confident about that date if I could see something like that. I don't even know where to start looking to find something like that on my own, so I asked my state senator's office to tell me where it's written. I'll let you know if I hear something. They seem sincere so I'm hoping.

As for the HUP, I don't know--bth13, is that a manditory trigger since the unemployemnt rate has "dropped below 8%" or is it a discresionary thing?

Glad you liked my artwork, Desperate. I like to do nice things for those Flyers fans, cause gosh darnit, they're so lovable.

I hope I'm wrong, but I have a hunch. I think they're getting the July idea from this: nelp.eb.trigger.analysis.pdf. But as bth13 has already pointed out, that ship has already sailed.

Another thing that has me worried is this: when do the PA legislators take a break?

Sorry to toss out those troubling thoughts, but they are what they are. I will try to find out more tomorrow.

The answer I'm getting back for why it's July is that "because June 30th is the end of the current fiscal year. Our state's fiscal calendar goes from July 1 through June 30th; therefore, the 2010-11 year begins in July."

Is there something I'm missing in that? Is it something in there that should make us say "oh, yes, that part there clearly ensures that we are safe until July and that it must make EB stay in place for that period!" Am I the only one who worries that it's not Occam's but Heinlein's razor in operation here? Just because the end of your fiscal year ends on a particular month, it doeens't follow automatically that it's also the cutoff of the thing (U.C. benefits) that neatly coincides with that, does it?

I guess what I'm trying to say here is that I'm really concerned that some very well-meaning people on our side might not have their arms around all of the facts that affect this here. And I still don't have any idea how to find out how this really works. Someone must know, but I'm not convinced it's the people who are talking to us.

I'm still confused does pa have hub benefits? I looked online but can't find anything. Thanks in advance.

agnes35111 wrote:I'm still confused does pa have hub benefits? I looked online but can't find anything. Thanks in advance.

Everyone is confused with PA's state extended benefit program, even residents who are currently receiving these benefits. The only thing that I can advise at this time is to keep checking this topic:

http://www.unemployed-friends2.org/t1604-pennsylvania-will-likely-lose-eb-by-may-20

Please check this out if you are anywhere near Pittsburgh:

Westerm PA Organzing Alert!