Alaskans Eligible for Emergency Unemployment Insurance Benefits

Juneau, AK  (CompNewsNetwork) - According to Tom Nelson, Director of the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Employment Security Division, Alaska's total unemployment rate rose above 6.5 percent in June, which triggered regular Extended Benefits.

President Bush signed the Supplemental Appropriations Act, H.R. 2642 on June 30, providing up to 13 weeks of Emergency Unemployment Compensation. Governor Palin signed an agreement with the federal government on the same day to begin paying these benefits to eligible unemployed workers in Alaska.

Those workers not qualifying for regular Extended Benefits may meet the criteria for the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, which is effective beginning July 6.

A claim for unemployment insurance benefits is effective the week in which the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development is contacted. To be eligible for Emergency Unemployment Compensation, an individual must have had an unemployment insurance benefit claim that ended on or after May 1, 2007, not be eligible for a new claim under regular unemployment insurance provision and not be eligible for regular Extended Benefits.

Unemployed Alaskans who think they might be eligible should contact the Department of Labor and Workforce Development as soon as possible or file a claim online at:

https://myalaska.state.ak.us

Contact the department at the nearest Unemployment Insurance Claim Center listed below:

Anchorage (907) 269-4700
Fairbanks (907) 451-2871
Juneau (907) 465-5552
All other areas (888) 252-2557

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