Jobless Georgians getting federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation in Georgia will lose the extended benefits after July 7.

EUC was established in 2008 to aid the long-term unemployed.

The Georgia Department of Labor announced on July 3 that the state will “trigger off” EUC’s Tier 4 unemployment insurance program because the state’s jobless rate has declined in the past three months.

Georgia’s jobless rate was 9 percent in March but declined to 8.9 percent in April and May.

Federal law mandates that a state in which EUC is provided must have a three-month seasonally adjusted unemployment average of 9 percent to remain “on” in Tier 4. The past three months dropped Georgia’s three-month average below 9 percent.

As a result of triggering off, the week ending July 7 will be the last week EUC claimants can exhaust Tier 3 benefits and establish Tier 4 eligibility.

However, under provisions of the phase-out, claimants who establish Tier 4 by July 8 will be eligible to receive the remainder of Tier 4 either until benefits are exhausted or the EUC program ends on Dec. 29, 2012.

For more information, visit www.dol.state.ga.us.