Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 108 - Unemployment insurance and reserves.
108.141 - Extended benefits.

108.141 Extended benefits.
(1) Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
(a) “Eligibility period" of an individual means the period consisting of each week in the individual's benefit year which begins in an extended benefit period and, if the individual's benefit year ends within that extended benefit period, each week thereafter which begins in such a period. For weeks of unemployment beginning on or after February 17, 2009, and ending before June 1, 2010, or the last week for which federal sharing is authorized by section 2005 (a) of P.L. 111-5 and any amendments thereto, whichever is later, “eligibility period" also means the period consisting of each week during which an individual is eligible for emergency unemployment compensation under P.L. 110-252 and P.L. 110-449, or any amendments thereto, and if that week begins in an extended benefit period or if an individual's eligibility for benefits under P.L. 110-252 and P.L. 110-449, or any amendment thereto, ends within an extended benefit period, each week thereafter which begins in that extended benefit period.
(b) “Exhaustee" means an individual who, with respect to any week of unemployment in the individual's eligibility period:
1. Has received, prior to that week, all of the regular benefits that were available to the individual under this chapter or any other state law, including dependents' allowances and benefits payable to federal civilian employees and former military personnel under 5 USC ch. 85, in the individual's current benefit year that includes that week or is precluded from receiving regular benefits by reason of the law of another state which meets the requirement of section 3304 (a) (7) of the internal revenue code or is precluded from receiving regular benefits by reason of a seasonal limitation in the law of another state. An individual is considered to have received all of the regular benefits that were available to the individual although as a result of a pending appeal under s. 108.09 or 108.10 the individual may subsequently be determined to be entitled to added regular benefits; or
2. His or her benefit year having expired in the extended benefit period and prior to such week, lacks base period wages on the basis of which he or she could establish a benefit year under s. 108.06; or
2m. For weeks of unemployment beginning after February 17, 2009, and ending before June 1, 2010, or with the last week for which federal sharing is authorized by section 2005 (a) of P.L. 111-5 and any amendments thereto, whichever is later, has exhausted federal emergency unemployment compensation under P.L. 110-252 and P.L. 110-449, and any amendments thereto, within an extended benefit period that began in a week during or before which the individual has exhausted that emergency unemployment compensation; and
3. Has no right to unemployment benefits or allowances, as the case may be, under the railroad unemployment insurance act or such other federal laws as are specified in regulations issued by the U.S. secretary of labor, and has not received and is not seeking unemployment benefits under the unemployment insurance law of Canada, but if the individual is seeking such benefits and the appropriate agency finally determines that he or she is not entitled to benefits under such law he or she is an exhaustee.
(c) “Extended benefit period" means a period which:
1. Begins with the 3rd week after whichever of the following weeks occurs first:
a. A week for which there is a national “on" indicator; or
b. A week for which there is a Wisconsin “on" indicator, provided that no extended benefit period may begin by reason of a Wisconsin “on" indicator before the 14th week following the end of a prior extended benefit period which was in effect with respect to Wisconsin; and
2. Ends with either of the following weeks, whichever occurs later:
a. The 3rd week after the first week for which there is both a national “off" indicator and a Wisconsin “off" indicator; or
b. The 13th consecutive week of such period.
(d) “Extended benefits" means benefits, including benefits payable to federal civilian employees and former military personnel under 5 USC ch. 85, payable to an individual under this section for weeks of unemployment in that individual's eligibility period.
(dm) “High unemployment period" means a period during which an extended benefit period would be in effect if par. (f) 3. a. were applied by substituting an average rate of total unemployment that equals or exceeds 8 percent.
(e) There is a Wisconsin “off" indicator for a week if, for the period consisting of that week and the immediately preceding 12 weeks, there is not a Wisconsin “on" indicator.
(f) There is a Wisconsin “on" indicator for a week if:
1. The rate of insured unemployment for the period consisting of that week and the immediately preceding 12 weeks equaled or exceeded 120 percent of the average of such rates for the corresponding 13-week period ending in each of the preceding 2 calendar years, and equaled or exceeded 5 percent; or
2. The rate of insured unemployment for the period consisting of that week and the immediately preceding 12 weeks equaled or exceeded 6 percent, regardless of the rate of insured unemployment in the 2 preceding calendar years; or
3. With respect to weeks of unemployment beginning on or after February 17, 2009, and ending with the week ending 3 weeks prior to the last week in which federal sharing is authorized by section 2005 (a) of P.L. 111-5 and any amendments thereto:
a. The average rate of total unemployment, seasonally adjusted, as determined by the U.S. secretary of labor, for the period consisting of the most recent 3 months for which data for all states are published before the close of that week equals or exceeds 6.5 percent; and
b. The average rate of total unemployment in this state, seasonally adjusted, as determined by the U.S. secretary of labor for the period consisting of the most recent 3 months for which data for all states are published before the close of that week equals or exceeds 110 percent of the average for either or both of the corresponding 3-month periods ending in the 2 preceding calendar years; or
4. With respect to weeks of unemployment beginning on or after the date of enactment of P.L. 111-312 and ending on or before the earlier of the latest date permitted under federal law or the end of the 4th week prior to the last week in which federal sharing is provided as authorized by section 2005 (a) of P.L. 111-5 and any amendments to such federal laws:
a. The rate of insured unemployment for the period consisting of that week and the immediately preceding 12 weeks equaled or exceeded 120 percent of the average of such rates for the corresponding 13-week periods ending in each of the preceding 3 calendar years, and equaled or exceeded 5 percent; or
b. The average rate of total unemployment, seasonally adjusted, as determined by the U.S. secretary of labor, for the period consisting of the most recent 3 months for which data for all states are published before the close of that week equals or exceeds 6.5 percent and equals or exceeds 110 percent of the average for any of the corresponding 3-month periods ending in the preceding 3 calendar years.
(g) “Regular benefits" means benefits payable to an individual under this chapter or under any other state law, including benefits payable to federal civilian employees and to former military personnel pursuant to 5 USC ch. 85, other than extended benefits and additional benefits as defined in P.L. 91-373.
(h) “State law" means the unemployment insurance law of any state that has been approved by the U.S. secretary of labor under 26 USC 3304.
(i) “Wisconsin rate of insured unemployment" means the percentage determined by the department on the basis of its reports to the U.S. secretary of labor and according to the method or methods prescribed by applicable federal law or regulation.
(1m) Suspension of extended benefits. Notwithstanding sub. (1), no extended benefits may be paid for any week of unemployment ending after January 27, 2009, unless benefits are payable for that week under P.L. 91-373, as amended, in this state. The governor may, by executive order, suspend the application of this subsection in order to allow for the payment of extended benefits as provided in this section during a period specified in the order. Any such suspension shall be effective at the beginning of the week specified by the governor in the order and may be rescinded by similar order, which shall be effective at the beginning of the week specified by the governor in that order.
(2) Effect of other provisions of this chapter. Except when the result would be inconsistent with the other provisions of this section, the provisions of this chapter which apply to claims for, or the payment of, regular benefits shall apply to claims for, and the payment of, extended benefits.
(3) Eligibility requirements for extended benefits. An individual shall be eligible to receive extended benefits with respect to any week of unemployment in his or her eligibility period only if:
(a) The individual had base period wages equaling at least 40 times the individual's most recent weekly benefit rate;
(b) The individual is an “exhaustee"; and
(c) The individual is not disqualified and has satisfied those other requirements of this chapter for the payment of regular benefits that apply to individuals claiming extended benefits.
(3g) Additional requirements for extended benefits.
(a)
1. If a claimant fails to provide sufficient evidence that his or her prospects for obtaining work in his or her customary occupation within a period of time not exceeding 4 weeks, beginning with the first week of eligibility for extended benefits, are good, this paragraph, rather than s. 108.04 (8), applies.
2. A claimant who, during or after the first week following the week that the department notifies the claimant in writing of the requirements to apply for and accept suitable work, fails either to apply for suitable work when notified by a public employment office or to accept suitable work when offered is ineligible to receive extended benefits for the week in which the failure occurs and for each week thereafter until the claimant has again been employed during at least 4 subsequent weeks in employment or other work covered by the unemployment insurance law of any state or the federal government and earned wages for such work equal to at least 4 times his or her extended weekly benefit rate.
3. Work is suitable within the meaning of subd. 2. if:
a. It is any work within the claimant's capabilities;
b. The gross average weekly remuneration for the work exceeds the claimant's weekly benefit rate plus any supplemental unemployment benefits, as defined in 26 USC 501 (c) (17) (D), then payable to the claimant;
c. Wages for the work equal or exceed the higher of either the minimum wage provided by 29 USC 206, without regard to any exemption, or any state or local minimum wage; and
d. The offer of work to the claimant was in writing or the position was listed with a public employment office.
(b) The department's public employment offices shall refer extended benefit claimants to suitable work meeting the conditions prescribed in par. (a).
(c) A claimant shall make a systematic and sustained effort to obtain work and provide tangible evidence thereof to the department for each week for which the claimant files a claim for extended benefits. If a claimant fails to make the required effort to obtain work or to provide tangible evidence thereof, on a weekly basis, he or she is ineligible to receive extended benefits for the week in which the failure occurs and for each week thereafter until he or she has again been employed during at least 4 subsequent weeks in employment or other work covered by the unemployment insurance law of any state or the federal government and has earned wages for such work equal to at least 4 times his or her weekly extended benefit rate.
(d) Notwithstanding s. 108.04 (6) and (7), a claimant who was disqualified from receipt of benefits because of voluntarily terminating employment or incurring a disciplinary suspension for good cause is ineligible to receive extended benefits for the week in which the termination occurs or the suspension begins and for each week thereafter until he or she has again been employed during at least 4 subsequent weeks in employment or other work covered by the unemployment insurance law of any state or the federal government and earned wages for such work equal to at least 4 times his or her weekly extended benefit rate.
(e) Extended benefits shall not be denied under par. (a) 2. to a claimant for any week if the failure would not result in a denial of benefits under the law of the state governing eligibility for such benefits to the extent that the law is not inconsistent with this subsection.
(3r) Limitation on interstate extended benefits.
(a) Extended benefits shall not be paid to any individual for a given week if the claim for such benefits is filed outside this state, under interstate claiming arrangements under s. 108.14 (8), unless an extended benefit period is in effect during that week in the state where the claim is filed.
(b) Paragraph (a) does not apply with respect to the first 2 weeks for which extended benefits would be payable except for that paragraph.
(4) Weekly extended benefit rate. The weekly extended benefit rate payable to an individual for a week of total unemployment is the same as the rate payable to the individual for regular benefits during his or her most recent benefit year as determined under s. 108.05 (1).
(5) Total extended benefit amount.
(a) Except as provided in pars. (b) and (c), the total extended benefit amount payable to an eligible individual in his or her benefit year is the least of the following amounts:
1. Fifty percent of the total amount of regular benefits that were payable to the individual in the individual's most recent benefit year rounded down to the nearest dollar, including benefits canceled under s. 108.04 (5); or
2. Thirteen times the individual's weekly benefit amount.
(b) The total extended benefit amount payable to an individual in his or her benefit year shall be reduced by the total amount of additional benefits paid or treated as paid under s. 108.142 for weeks of unemployment in the individual's benefit year that began prior to the beginning of the extended benefit period that is in effect in the week in which the individual first claims extended benefits.
(c) Except as provided in par. (b), effective with respect to weeks beginning in a high unemployment period, the total extended benefit amount payable to an individual in his or her benefit year is the least of the following amounts:
1. Eighty percent of the total amount of regular benefits that were payable to the individual in the individual's most recent benefit year rounded down to the nearest dollar, including benefits canceled under s. 108.04 (5); or
2. Twenty times the individual's weekly benefit amount.
(6) Publish indicators.
(a) Whenever an extended benefit period is to become effective as a result of a Wisconsin “on" indicator, or an extended benefit period is to be terminated as a result of a Wisconsin “off" indicator, the secretary of workforce development shall publish it as a class 1 notice under ch. 985.
(b) Computations required by sub. (1) (i) shall be made in accordance with regulations prescribed by the U.S. secretary of labor.
(7) Charges of benefits.
(a) The department shall charge the state's share of each week of extended benefits to each employer's account in proportion to the employer's share of the total wages of the employee receiving the benefits in the employee's base period, except that if the employer is subject to the contribution requirements of ss. 108.17 and 108.18 the department shall charge the share of extended benefits to which s. 108.04 (1) (f), (5), (5g), (7) (a), (c), (cg), (e), (L), (q), (s), or (t), (7m) or (8) (a) to (c), 108.07 (3), (3r), or (5) (am) 2., or 108.133 (3) (f) applies to the fund's balancing account.
(b) The department shall charge the full amount of extended benefits based on employment for a government unit to the account of the government unit, except that if s. 108.04 (5), (5g), or (7) applies and the government unit has elected contribution financing the department shall charge one-half of the government unit's share of the benefits to the fund's balancing account.
(c) The department shall charge the full amount of extended benefits based upon employment for an Indian tribe to the account of the Indian tribe.
History: 1971 c. 53; 1973 c. 247; 1975 c. 1, 343; 1977 c. 29, 133, 418; 1979 c. 52; 1981 c. 36 ss. 19 to 32, 45; 1981 c. 315, 390; 1983 a. 8 ss. 28 to 33, 53, 55 (3), (14) and (15) and 56; 1983 a. 27 ss. 1400g and 1807m; 1983 a. 189 ss. 162, 329 (28); 1985 a. 17; 1987 a. 38; 1991 a. 39, 89, 189, 269; 1993 a. 184, 373, 492; 1995 a. 27 ss. 3780, 9130 (4); 1995 a. 118, 225; 1997 a. 3, 35, 39; 2001 a. 35; 2009 a. 1, 11; 2011 a. 42; 2013 a. 20, 36, 173; 2015 a. 55, 334; 2019 a. 185; 2021 a. 231.

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