Someone please explain EB & HUP EB from the following PA DOLI statement

First topic message reminder :

This is from the DOLI website:
"HUP" EB

The Pennsylvania UC Law was recently amended to increase the maximum amount of EB a claimant may receive if Pennsylvania enters a "high unemployment period," or HUP. A HUP occurs when Pennsylvania's total unemployment rate reaches 8 percent. The Commonwealth's total unemployment rate has risen to the level necessary to create a HUP.

As a result of the HUP, if you were financially eligible for 13 weeks of regular EB, your financial eligibility is increased to 20 weeks. If you were financially eligible for 8 weeks of regular EB, your financial eligibility is increased to 12.8 weeks.

This increased amount of EB, called HUP EB, applies only to weeks within the HUP. The first week for which HUP EB was payable was the week ending August 8, 2009.

Claims for HUP EB are filed in the same way as claims for regular EB."

Now, if regular EB switches off in May, that means forget HUP EB as well, right?
It's just that HUP EB is based on a monthly u/e %, not an average, as it states above. So, technically, if PAs u/e went up to 8% for April (reported in May), wouldn't that mean people could get 7 weeks of HUP EB?

This is so confusing. I don't understand anything about the 3-mo avg for regular EB being thrown out and now it's a 2 year look-back (is this true?). And when I read the above, it sounds like anyone can get HUP EB if the employment rate is 8% or above.

Thanks in advance for any clarification.

I believe all states go by a 3 month average. So if the past 3 months of UE rates in your state averages 8% HUP EB should still be available.

Sick& Tired is correct about the 3 month average. With the April number Pa 3 month average is 7.7%. HUP will trigger off on 6/11.
Check the following site next week. It tells the story.
http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/unemploy/claims_arch.asp

Jane, so much is happening with unemployment benefits in all states, some are using the look back, some are cutting altogether and some are almost changing the rules daily. That is why I stress the importance of speaking directly to them. Right now, they may not know either. I know when I collected HUP, I had to wait for the letter to start claiming. That's how they work, not just because they don't know what the actual rate will be at that time, but it is administered by two seperate agencies, believe it or not. You can still call the PA UC center and get help, but the actual paperwork and payouts are handled differently. Even when I was still on the Tiers, with the expiration of each Tier, I had to call and get activated or wait for the letter. On the tiers it was easy to call because they administer the benefits. HUP is funded differently, you claim differently, but they will deposit it to your account on the debit card. Once that happens, you can check in with PA UC Centers and they can keep you up to date on payouts, dates of eligibility, remaining weeks, etc.