Unemployment benefits double in Utah as three-month jobless average rises

The U.S. Department of Labor doubled the maximum potential entitlement for Utah’s unemployed after the jobless rate in the state rose to 6.0 percent, according to the Department of Workforce Services.

Utah’s three-month average unemployment rate hit 6 percent, triggering the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program.

The system increases the amount of time a person can receive unemployment benefits from 14 weeks to 28.

“The department will send out notices September 24, 2012 to about 2,400 claimants who had exhausted their Tier I benefits informing them they may be eligible for up to an additional 14 weeks of Tier II EUC benefits,” Utah Department of Workforce Services said in a statement.

Federal EUC benefits were “triggered off” in Utah for 13 weeks because the state’s three-month average unemployment rate fell below 6 percent, according to the statement.

Workforce Services administers unemployment insurance to Utah’s jobless.

The unemployment rate in Utah fell to 5.8 percent in August, falling nearly one percentage point from August, according to the DWS data.

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