Public Law 110-449 created a Second-Tier of benefits for qualified unemployed workers claiming benefits in high unemployment states. The Department of Labor produces a trigger notice indicating which States qualify for the Second-Tier of EUC08 benefits and provides the beginning and ending dates of the Second-Tier period for each qualifying state. The trigger notice covering State eligibility for the Second-Tier of the EUC08 program can be found here.

Beginning April 12, 2009, Colorado, Maryland, and Texas are in a high unemployment period, resulting in their triggering "on" to the Second-Tier of the EUC08 program.

The April 9, 2009 FEDERAL REGISTER provides additional background.