Federal funds will help pay for the new extension of up to 13 weeks of additional unemployment benefits, which was authorized in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 — the economic stimulus law. The OESC estimates that the extension will immediately affect as many as 9,300 Oklahomans.

Eligibility for the extended unemployment benefits, known as EUC Tier 2, is based on a person’s claim history. In order to be immediately eligible, all of the following criteria must be met:

The person was unemployed as of July 5, 2009.

The person’s original extended unemployment compensation claim was exhausted between July 6, 2008, and July 5, 2009.

The person is not currently receiving unemployment benefits.

As current claimants exhaust their extended unemployment compensation claims, they will be evaluated to determine eligibility for the new extension. OESC said it will send letters with more instructions to all eligible claimants.

Qualification for EUC Tier 2 is calculated on a state-by-state basis. States become eligible for the extension when their average seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 6.0 percent or higher for a three-month period.

Based on the most recently published data in May, Oklahoma’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.3 percent.

This is the third time in the past year that unemployment benefits have been extended. Last July, President George W. Bush approved the first round of EUC, which provided workers who exhausted their regular unemployment benefits with up to 13 weeks of additional benefits.

In November, another extension added up to seven more weeks of extended benefits, providing a total extension of up to 20 weeks in Oklahoma.

Then last month, OESC was notified that EUC Tier 2 would be made available to Oklahomans effective July 5. This latest extension adds up to 13 weeks of unemployment benefits, providing a total extension of up to 33 weeks.

Because OESC expects a large response for the extension, claimants should file online at tulsaworld.com/oesc by clicking on the “File for EUC Tier 2 Benefits” link.

Online claims filing is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If claimants are unable to file a EUC Tier 2 claim online, they can file a claim by calling (800) 555-1554 only on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday each week.