Unemployment extensions in Georgia are managed by a scheme that is known as Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC). You are eligible for EUC if you have satisfied a number of requirements. Firstly, you will have already filed an initial claim for unemployment insurance benefits and this should not have happened before 2nd May 2006. Secondly, you can demonstrate that you have used up all the funds made available by that initial claim and access to the EUC will only be granted if in your case, there is no access to any other regular unemployment claim according to the state laws.
The EUCs are divided into two tiers, the first tier that becomes operational for the successful applicant is able to provide an additional 20 weeks of EUC benefits and the second tier EUC benefits give a 13-week extension. The second tier EUC benefits will only be available after the expiry of the first tier EUC benefits. You will need to provide that you are not eligible for unemployment benefits neither in any other US State nor in Canada or another US territory. Qualification to receive either the first tier EUC benefit payment or the second tier EUC benefit is automatically granted when the first week’s payment is received.
Using either the internet or OLIVoR which is the Georgia State’s interactive voice response system, it is possible to check certification qualification; this can also be done using a paper based certification form. The amount of money you will receive will be based on a maximum benefit allowance or MBA. For those on first tier EUC benefits, this will be the lesser amount of either 80% of the previous benefit or 20 times your weekly benefit amount. For the second tier, the calculation is different where it will be the lesser of 50% of your MBA or 13 times your previous weekly benefit.
EUC benefits are paid by check or directly into a bank account. It should be noted that if you become eligible for another regular type of unemployment benefit, the payments from EUC benefits will stop even if the alternative benefit pay you less.