Sequestration results in federal cuts to Emergency Unemployment benefits in Vermont

The Vermont Department of Labor has announced upcoming federal cuts to the Federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits. These cuts are as a result of the federal sequestration budget cuts.
Effective March 31st, the federal government will require a 10.7% cut in benefits for those UI claimants who are on the federal EUC program, and will impact claims filed for the week ending April 6th and forward. The cut will impact approximately 1,000 unemployed workers in Vermont. The reduction in the benefit will first be seen in the UI check that claimants will receive on or around April 9th.
The EUC benefits, which can total up to 14 weeks, begin after a claimant has exhausted ‘ Regular’ unemployment weeks (which provide UI benefits for up to 26 weeks). During all phases of unemployment, claimants are required to be actively engaged in work search activities and participating in reemployment programs with the Department of Labor.
‘ Vermont has no control over these cuts in benefits, and no ability to waive the federal requirement’ , said Labor Commissioner Annie Noonan. ‘ We will continue to work with our UI claimants to help them find suitable employment, and to retrain them when their skills are not consistent with the needs of the Vermont employers’ . Affected claimants will be sent a notification that will provide information regarding their new remaining entitlement and new weekly benefit amount. Updates and information regarding these reductions will be available at www.labor.vermont.gov.
If you are unemployed, the Vermont Department of Labor can assistance with your resume, interview skills, identifying job openings, discussing training programs, and assistance with job placement. The Department of Labor’ s regional Career Resource Centers provide all Vermonters with free, professional assistance, matching job seekers with job openings. For a list of the Department’ s Career Resource Centers and other information, please visit our website at www.labor.vermont.gov. If you need help with housing, food, medical care or other essentials, you can dial 211 or visit www.Vermont211.org.
[1]The Federal Budget Control Act of 2011 (Public Law 112-25) requires across-the-board budget cuts to many federal programs, including the EUC program