Tier One

• The first level of the EUC benefits is tier one. This tier is only accessible by unemployment claimants when all of the originally awarded unemployment benefits have been exhausted. If the claimant remains unemployed at the end of the initial unemployment benefits and is still actively looking for a job, the claimant is moved to this tier of EUC benefits. Tier one is available in all states with no restrictions. A total of up to 20 weeks of benefits are available in tier one.
  
  

Tier Two

• After using all of the awarded benefits in tier one, a claimant may move to tier two. To qualify for tier two EUC benefits, the claimant should still be unemployed and looking for a new job. Like tier one, this tier of EUC benefits is available in all states with no restrictions. Claimants can receive up to 14 weeks of additional benefits with this tier of EUC benefits.
  
  

Tier Three

• Exhausting all of the tier-two benefits means that the claimant may qualify for tier-three EUC benefits. This tier of benefits is not available in every state. Only states that have at least a 4 percent insured unemployment rate for the previous 13 weeks or at least a 6 percent seasonally adjusted total unemployment rate for the past three months. If a claimant has an unemployment claim with a state that meets of these criteria, a total of up to 13 additional weeks of EUC benefits are available as part of this tier.
  
  

Tier Four

• Like tier three, only certain states are eligible for the fourth tier of EUC benefits. To qualify for tier-four EUC benefits, the state must have at least a 6 percent insured unemployment rate for the previous 13 weeks or at least a 8.5 percent seasonally adjusted total unemployment rate for the past three months. For claimants that have exhausted tier-three EUC benefits in a state that meets one of these requirements, up to six additional weeks of unemployment benefits are available.