NJ Unemployment-----Is this even possible? (collect, extension, receive, claim)

[Clara1]

Long story short,have 3 claims(2008-2009-2010) My original job kept calling me back to work. Okay so I thought today was my last check for unemployment since I was on the 2009 claim and not able to collect EB. But after I put in my info online a message to call a NJ rep came up. Called the NJ line,the woman told me I still did not collect any tiers from my 2010 claim. I remember that,but just thought I didn't have enough money. I collected 24 weeks from 2010 claim,then was put back onto my 2009 claim which I hit the last week of extension 4 today. Then she said hold on,okay now she comes back and says they are opening a new claim for 2011. ????????????????? I only worked 4 weeks in January of 2011. 4 weeks comes out to about 2,000. Is that possible?? When I called back again,the second lady said I was to get the tiers on my 2010 claim,when I told her what the other rep said about a new claim for 2011 she said she had no idea,maybe, she wasn't sure? Sorry to keep bothering everyone,but wow,this is really getting so confusing.
Thanks for any info!!!!!!

[Ariadne22]

It is very common to get conflicting and confusing statements from the reps. Each rep looks at their computer screens and sees things differently, depending on their level of knowledge.

If your 2010 claim expired without you collecting at least $1 in EUC tier benefits, NJ cannot pay you tier benefits from that claim at this time.

HOWEVER, back in 2010 NJ was, contrary to EUC guidelines, routinely paying state benefits and EUC tier benefits from the current claim until that claim's bye (benefit year end). Only at the bye would NJ then begin paying earlier claim EUC Tier benefits. By doing this, NJ preserved the ability of claimant receive those newer (current claim) EUC tier benefits at a later date. We have many reports from NJ claimants stating this. The result was they often collected up to 178 weeks' benefits.

You need to carefully review your claim history. You may think NJ paid you 2009 tier benefits after you exhausted the 2010 state benefits, but it is very possible they didn't.

If there is no "available" EUC for you to claim at this time, your only option is a new claim. I don't recall if $2,000 is adequate in NJ to open a claim. If it is, your benefit would not be a large one.

Here is a NJ benefit calculator which might help:

http://lwd.state.nj.us/uiapp/Start.html

[Clara1]

Thank you as always Ariadne22!!

[ladyvictoria]

Hi Clara, I wanted to mention what is happening with my claim since it is similar to your situation. Two weeks ago, I finished 26 weeks of NJ EU from my second claim (2011). While I was in tier one of my 2010 claim (1st claim), I was put on a new claim last year. When I called them two weeks ago, the agent told me she will put in a request to put me back in my 2010 claim Tier 1 and just to claim as normal in two weeks. Well, two weeks later (on Sunday) I tried to claim and got the same message that I have no funds left. I called them back and the new agent told me she sees the request but NJ is so backed up transferring people to tiers that it will take some more time and to call them back at the end of this week. At no time did anyone tell me I need to open a new claim. My bye for 2011 is coming up in August 2012 and the message I got in computer said I can only open a new claim on August 2012. I agree with Ariadne, every agent you spoke to tells you something else. Lets see what they will tell me on Thursday when I call back.

[Clara1]

Hi ladyvictoria and Ariadne22- You all know how nervous we all are just finding a job,just someone anyone calling for an interview. I guess I over worry about things. Anyway I went to the unemployment office who usually will not deal with these problems,but thankfully the woman after I tried to explain said let me see what the heck is going on. Okay she had to dig deep. Anyway from what she said I was put on Tier 1 from my 2010 claim(only 2 weeks because I was called back to work) which I wasn't suppose to. I have no idea why and all she kept saying was the rules keep changing,anyway they paid me 2 weeks of Tier 1 on 2010-I was suppose to go back to my 2009 claim for the Tiers,sooooooooooooo now they have to do a monetary change,and then I will go back to my 2011 claim and use those Tiers or so they say. Won't know for about a month they told me because NJ was suppose to have done this last year and they didn't so it will take some time for them to straighten this all out. The one thing I keep reading is keep claiming every two weeks,even going through this. Unemployment rep said not to do this,but I am still going to try because how will they have a record of any of my claim weeks? I am wishing
luck to all of us! As I am also wishing we all find jobs. ladyvictoria let us know what happens! Fingers crossed all goes well for you.

[Ariadne22]

As I said upthread, for a long time NJ was routinely paying new claim EUC benefits when it should have reverted to earlier claim EUC benefits after state benefits were exhausted. Feds cracked down about six-eight months ago and NJ stopped the practice. Many, many people received current claim EUC tier benefits when they shouldn't have. You apparently only got two weeks from the 2010 claim, but that is enough to preserve those benefits. I suppose since it is only two weeks, NJ feels it can do a monetary change. No doubt, NJ is under somewhat close scrutiny and now needs to examine all claims.

Too bad, as remaining on your current claim tiers or reverting to earlier tiers should NOT cause any delay. One month is too long when people need their money.

Thanks for the update. Up to this point, NJ ordinary claim administration/tier transition has been pretty efficient. No more. We'll be hearing about NJ delays going forward.

Let us know when you finally get paid.

[Clara1]

Thanks so much Ariadne22! That's why I went down to the Unemployment office and took you words of wisdom with me. You helped me so much when you explained it and the rep was just saying they keep changing the rules. But I remembered what you wrote and at least because of you I understood what had happened. Thank you so much as always! And yes when this gets straighted out and I get a check I hope,I will post it in HUGE letters!