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Unemployment Insurance

Latest Federal Extension of Unemployment Insurance Benefits-
Important Changes to EUC Extended Benefits in 2012  (Updated March 2012)

On February 22, 2012, President Barack Obama signed into law the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 which provided an extension for the federally-funded unemployment benefits. The bill extends the phase-out period of Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) Tier 1 and ties the availability of Tier 2 and Tier 3 to the state’s unemployment rate.

The federal EUC program offers separate benefit tiers to claimants who have exhausted their regular unemployment insurance benefits (26 weeks). There are no additional benefits available to claimants who have exhausted all EUC Tiers. The payroll tax cut extension bill did not provide additional weeks of benefits, only an extension of the application deadline with new requirements for meeting the tiers in individual states. 

As of January 1, 2012, the maximum number of weeks for unemployment insurance benefits in New Mexico is 73 weeks.

Please note:

  • Eligibility for unemployment benefits is determined by federal and state law.
  • Log in to the New Mexico Unemployment Insurance Claims and Benefits System to verify your address is up to date so we can notify you of changes.
  • Availability of EUC Tier 2 and EUC Tier 3 will be determined by future state unemployment rates. We will update this site as this information changes.
  • If you are unsure of how this will affect you, contact the Unemployment Insurance Call Center at 1-877-664-6984.
  • For information on community and financial resources click here
  • To apply for jobs and for valuable job search assistance and career exploration tools, visit the New Mexico Workforce Connection online system at www.jobs.state.nm.us.
Program or EUC Tier you are currently on Week you exhaust benefits EUC program available Weeks of extended benefits available
Regular UI Before the end of
August 2012 		EUC Tier 1 Up to 20 weeks
After the end of
August 2012		 EUC Tier 1 Up to 14 weeks
EUC Tier 1 Before the end of
May 2012 		EUC Tier 2 Up to 14 weeks
After the end of
May, 2012 		EUC Tier 2
*Depending on the New Mexico’s unemployment rate (6% average). EUC Tier 2 in New Mexico may be available after May 2012 for applicants who exhaust Tier 1 after the end of May 2012. 		Up to 14 weeks
 
EUC Tier 2 Before the end of
May 2012 		EUC Tier 3
*Depending on New Mexico’s unemployment rate (6% average). 		Up to 13 weeks
After the end of
May 2012 		EUC Tier 3
*Depending on the state unemployment rate(7% average). EUC Tier 3 may be available in New Mexico for applicants who exhaust Tier 2 after the end of May 2012.		 Up to 13 weeks
After the end
August 2012		 EUC Tier 3
*Depending on the state unemployment rate (7% average).		 Up to 9 weeks
 
EUC Tier 3 Any week There are no
extended benefits available. 		N/A

*The Number of Weeks, the Program End Date, and the Last Payable Week are subject to change, based on the state’s three-month average total unemployment rate.