State Extended Benefits

What are Extended Benefits?

Extended Benefits (EB) are additional weeks of unemployment insurance (UI) benefits available during periods of high unemployment to workers who have exhausted regular benefits. Eligible individuals may receive up to an additional 50 percent of regular benefit entitlement, including dependent allowance.

The percentage of unemployed Alaskans determines if Alaska will pay EB. These “triggers” are formulas based on the Insured Unemployment Rate (IUR) and the Total Unemployment Rate (TUR). Historically, Alaska triggers on EB in January or February and off in June or July. Alaska is required by law to pay EB for a minimum of 13 weeks once the trigger is met.
For more information on unemployment rates, go online at laborstats.alaska.gov

What are the requirements for receiving Extended Benefits?

Unemployed workers may be eligible for EB if they are not eligible for a new claim in Alaska or any other state. They must have an active UI claim that ended on or after the first payable week of EB and must not be penalized for separating from their last employment due to quitting a job, being discharged for misconduct in connection with work or refusing an offer of suitable work.

Additionally, to be eligible for EB, workers must be willing to seek and accept any suitable work. Suitable work is any work which a worker has experience or training and can physically or mentally perform.

All workers are required to seek work and report a required number of work searches for each week claimed, unless deferred. For specific work search requirements see the UI Claimant Handbook online .

Work registration requirements

Workers living in Alaska, must register and create an online resume in AlaskaJobs at alaskajobs.alaska.gov within seven days of establishing an initial claim.

Workers living outside of Alaska, must register with their local employment service center within seven days of establishing an initial claim.

State and federal law

The Alaska Extended Benefit program is established under Alaska Statutes AS 23.20.406, AS 23.20.407, AS 23.20.408, AS 23.20.409 and Federal Code 20 CFR 615.

To be eligible under this law, workers cannot be eligible for a new claim in Alaska or any other state. Additionally, under this law, to be eligible, workers must not have received a disqualification due to separation from their last employment.

Under this law, workers must meet the base period wage qualifications to be eligible for EB. Base period wages must be 40 times the weekly benefit amount including dependents allowance, or one and one-half the high quarter wages. In Alaska, workers who do not meet this requirement may be eligible for an extension called State Supplemental Benefits (SSB). Those receiving SSB must adhere to the same rules as EB claimants.