The Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) announced today the 13-week Extended Benefits (EB) period is available for those who have exhausted their regular unemployment insurance benefits as well as the additional 13-week extension provided by Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC).
Due to the availability of PEUC, most individuals will not yet be eligible for EB. Upon exhaustion of regular unemployment insurance and PEUC benefits, DES will issue notification to individuals who may be eligible to apply for the new EB program. This notice will include filing instructions for EB. The weekly benefit amount (WBA) under the EB program is the same as the individual received for regular unemployment compensation.
Arizona triggered onto a 13-week EB period beginning the week of June 14, 2020. EB is triggered when:
• The state’s unadjusted rate of insured unemployment equals or exceeds 6% in the most recent 13-week period;
• The average rate exceeds 120% of the corresponding 13-week time periods from the previous two years; or
• The national average total unemployment rate for the preceding 3 months equaled or exceeded 6.5%, and the state’s seasonally adjusted average rate of total unemployment for the same period equaled or exceeded 110% of either or both of the previous 2 years’ seasonally adjusted average unemployment rate for the corresponding 3 month period.
Although Arizona only needs to meet one of the three requirements, the state has met the requirements for all three triggers. The EB period will trigger off if the state’s insured unemployment rate in the most recent 13-week period is less than 120% of the average for the corresponding 13-week periods from the preceding two years, or if the insured unemployment rate in the most recent 13-week period is less than 5%.
Visit www.azui.com to learn more about EB and for additional updates and information about unemployment assistance programs in Arizona.
