96.29 Extended benefits.

Except when the result would be inconsistent with the other provisions of this chapter, as provided in rules of the department, the provisions of the law which apply to claims for or the payment of regular benefits shall apply to claims for, and the payment of, extended benefits.

1. Eligibility requirements for extended benefits. An individual is eligible to receive extended benefits with respect to a week of unemployment in the individual’s eligibility period only if the department finds that all of the following conditions are met:

a. The individual is an “exhaustee” as defined in this chapter.

b. The individual has satisfied the requirements of this chapter for the receipt of regular benefits that are applicable to individuals claiming extended benefits, including not being subject to a disqualification for the receipt of benefits.

c. The individual has been paid wages for insured work during the individual’s base period in an amount at least one and one-half times the wages paid to the individual during that quarter of the individual’s base period in which the individual’s wages were highest.

2. Disqualification for extended benefits. If an individual claiming extended benefits furnishes satisfactory evidence to the department that the individual’s prospects for obtaining work in the individual’s customary occupation within a reasonably short period are good, section 96.5, subsection 3 applies. If the department determines that an individual is claiming extended benefits and the individual’s prospects for obtaining work in the individual’s customary occupation are poor, the following paragraphs apply:

a. An individual shall be disqualified for extended benefits if the individual fails to apply for or refuses to accept an offer of suitable work to which the individual was referred by the department or the individual fails to actively seek work, unless the individual has been employed during at least four weeks, which need not be consecutive, subsequent to the disqualification and has earned at least four times the individual’s weekly extended benefit amount. In order to be considered suitable work under this subsection, the gross weekly wage for the suitable work shall be in excess of the individual’s weekly extended benefit amount plus any weekly supplemental unemployment compensation benefits which the individual is receiving.

b. An individual shall not be disqualified for extended benefits for failing to apply for or refusing to accept an offer of suitable work, unless the suitable work was offered to the individual in writing or was listed with the department.

c. This subsection shall not apply to claims for extended benefits if otherwise prohibited by federal law.

3. Weekly extended benefit amount. The weekly extended benefit amount payable to an individual for a week of total unemployment in the individual’s eligibility period is an amount equal to the weekly benefit amount payable to the individual during the individual’s applicable benefit year.

4. Total extended benefit amount.

a. The total extended benefit amount payable to an eligible individual with respect to the individual’s applicable benefit year is the least of the following amounts:

(1) Fifty percent of the total amount of regular benefits which were payable to the individual under this chapter in the individual’s applicable benefit year.

(2) Thirteen times the individual’s weekly benefit amount which was payable to the individual under this chapter for a week of total unemployment in the applicable benefit year.

b. Except for the first two weeks of an interstate claim for extended benefits filed in any state under the interstate benefit payment plan and payable from an individual’s extended benefit account, the individual is not eligible for extended benefits payable under the interstate claim if an extended benefit period is not in effect in that state.

5. Beginning and termination of extended benefit period. If an extended benefit period is to become effective in Iowa as a result of the state “on” indicator, or an extended benefit period is to be terminated in Iowa as a result of the state “off” indicator, the department shall make an appropriate public announcement. Computations required by this subsection shall be made by the department in accordance with regulations prescribed by the United States secretary of labor.

6. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, if the benefit year of an individual ends within an eligibility period for extended benefits, the remaining extended benefits which the individual would, but for this section, be entitled to receive in that portion of the eligibility period which extends beyond the end of the individual’s benefit year, shall be reduced, but not below zero, by the number of weeks for which the individual received federal trade readjustment allowances, under 19 U.S.C. §2101 et seq., as amended by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, within the individual’s benefit year multiplied by the individual’s weekly extended benefit amount.

[C73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §96.29; 81 Acts, ch 19, §10, 11; 82 Acts, ch 1030, §8, 9]

93 Acts, ch 10, §1; 96 Acts, ch 1186, §23; 2008 Acts, ch 1032, §201; 2017 Acts, ch 29, §34

Referred to in §96.11, 96.40