Section 23.20.406. Extended benefits.

   (a) Except when the result would be inconsistent with other provisions of this chapter, the provisions of this chapter which apply to claims for or the payment of regular benefits apply to claims for and the payment of extended benefits.
   (b) An individual is eligible to receive extended benefits with respect to any week of unemployment in the individual's eligibility period if the department finds that with respect to that week the individual
        (1) is an "exhaustee" as defined in AS 23.20.409; and
        (2) has otherwise satisfied the requirements of this chapter for the receipt of regular benefits.
   (c) Notwithstanding (a) and (b) of this section, an individual is ineligible for payment of extended benefits for any week of unemployment in the individual's eligibility period if the department finds that during that period the individual failed to
        (1) accept an offer of suitable work as defined under (k) of this section or failed to apply for suitable work to which the individual was referred by the department; or
        (2) actively seek work as prescribed under (f) of this section, except that the eligibility of the individual will be determined under AS 23.20.378 without regard to the disqualification provisions otherwise applicable under (d) of this section if the individual is not actively engaged in seeking work because the individual is
             (A) summoned for jury duty before a court of the United States or any state;
             (B) hospitalized for treatment of an emergency or life-threatening condition; or
             (C) attending an approved vocational training course under AS 23.20.382.
   (d) An individual who has been found ineligible for extended benefits under (c) of this section shall be denied benefits beginning with the first day of the week following the week in which the failure occurred and until the individual has been employed in each of four subsequent weeks and has earned remuneration equal to not less than four times the extended weekly benefit amount, excluding the allowance for dependents.
   (e) An individual may not be denied extended benefits for failure to accept an offer of or referral to a job that is suitable work as defined in (l) of this section if
        (1) the job was not offered to that individual in writing and was not listed with the employment service;
        (2) the failure would not result in a denial of benefits under the definition of suitable work for regular benefit claimants in AS 23.20.385 to the extent that the criteria of suitability in that section are consistent with (l) of this section; or
        (3) the individual furnishes satisfactory evidence to the department that the prospects for obtaining work in the customary occupation of the individual within a reasonably short period are good; if the evidence is satisfactory for this purpose, the department shall determine whether any work is suitable for that individual in accordance with the definition of suitable work in AS 23.20.385.
   (f) For the purposes of (c)(2) of this section, an individual is considered to be actively seeking work during a week if the individual furnishes evidence in writing to the department that the individual has engaged in a systematic and sustained effort to obtain work during that week.
   (g) The employment service shall refer an individual who is entitled to extended benefits under this chapter to any suitable work that meets the criteria prescribed in (l) of this section.
   (h) An individual is not eligible to receive extended benefits for any week of unemployment in the individual's eligibility period if the individual has been disqualified for benefits because the individual voluntarily left work, was discharged for misconduct, or refused an offer of suitable work, unless the disqualification imposed for those reasons has been terminated in accordance with AS 23.20.379(d).
   (i) Except as provided in (j) of this section, an individual is not eligible for extended benefits for a week of unemployment if
        (1) the individual files a claim for extended benefits which are payable under this chapter for that week;
        (2) the claim is an interstate claim filed in any state in accordance with the interstate benefit payment arrangement under AS 23.20.085; and
        (3) an extended benefit period is not in effect for the week in the state in which the interstate claim is filed.
   (j) Subsection (i) of this section does not apply to the first two weeks for which extended benefits are payable to an individual, determined without regard to (i) of this section, under an interstate claim filed in accordance with AS 23.20.085.
   (k) Notwithstanding (a) and (b) of this section, an individual is not eligible for extended benefits unless, in the base period determined with respect to the individual's applicable benefit year, the individual has been paid, for employment covered by this chapter, total wages that equal or exceed
        (1) 40 times the weekly benefit amount, including any allowance for dependents, which is payable to the individual during the individual's applicable benefit year; or
        (2) 1.5 times the individual's wages during the calendar quarter of the base period in which the individual's wages were the highest.
   (l) In this section, "suitable work" means any work that is within the individual's capabilities, if
        (1) the gross average weekly remuneration for the work
             (A) exceeds the sum of
                  (i) the individual's average weekly benefit amount as determined under AS 23.20.407, plus
                  (ii) the amount, if any, of supplemental unemployment benefits as defined in 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(17)(D) (Internal Revenue Code of 1954) that are payable to the individual for that week; and
             (B) equals or exceeds the greater of
                  (i) the minimum wages provided by 29 U.S.C. 206(a)(1) (Sec. 6(a)(1), Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938), without regard to any exemption; or
                  (ii) the state minimum wage; and
        (2) the work is in accordance with 26 U.S.C. 3304(a)(5) (Internal Revenue Code of 1954), and AS 23.20.385(a).

Authorities

23.20.353;23.20.409;23.20.406

Notes

References

AS 23.20.353 Supplemental state benefits.
AS 23.20.409
AS 23.20.409 Definitions for AS 23.20.406 - 23.20.409.

History

(Sec. 1 ch 1 SLA 1971; am Sec. 5, 6 ch 114 SLA 1981; am Sec. 19 ch 115 SLA 1982; am Sec. 12 ch 106 SLA 1984; am Sec. 3 ch 28 SLA 1993; am Sec. 17 ch 43 SLA 1996)