Tier 4 EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation)
- Effective January 3, 2010, Delaware "triggered" to a Tier 4 EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) period because the state's 3-month average total unemployment rate (TUR) of 8.5% meets the criterion for this tier of EUC (a 3-month average total unemployment rate (TUR) of 8.5% or higher). Unemployed individuals who exhaust their Tier 3 EUC benefits will be able to receive up to an additional six weeks of benefits under Tier 4 EUC. These additional benefits are part of the Worker, Homeowner, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 that was signed into law by President Obama on November 6, 2009. The Division of Unemployment Insurance will mail notices with information and instructions to individuals who may be entitled to these additional weeks of benefits when they exhaust their Tier 3 EUC. The additional weeks of EUC increase the number of weeks of unemployment insurance benefits now available to unemployed Delaware workers from a maximum of 93 weeks to maximum of 99 weeks. However, claimants who recently started receiving benefits or begin collecting benefits between now and the end of February 2010 may not receive the full 99 weeks due to the scheduled expiration of the EUC program under existing federal law.

2010 Annual Prevailing Wage Survey
- The Department is currently conducting its Annual Prevailing Wage Survey for state-funded construction projects. The Department mailed out on January 5, 2010 approximately 2500 survey forms to contractors and various interested parties. The completed survey must be postmarked or returned no later than February 8, 2010 to the Department of Labor for the data to be used in the calculation of the Delaware Prevailing Wage Rates which will be issued on or before March 15, 2010. The Department is also offering and encouraging reporting the information electronically by clicking this link. Electronic Submissions

Tier 3 EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) Now Available
- Beginning with the week of November 8 - November 14, 2009, unemployed Delaware workers will be eligible for up to fourteen additional weeks of unemployment insurance benefits under the provisions of the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program. These additional weeks of benefits have become available under legislation signed by President Obama on Friday, November 6. This latest extension of unemployment insurance benefits provides up to thirteen weeks of benefits under a new Tier 3 level of EUC and one additional week of benefits under the existing Tier 2 level of EUC. The Division of Unemployment Insurance will mail notices with information and instructions to individuals who may be entitled to these additional weeks of benefits if they are still unemployed. The additional weeks of EUC increase the number of weeks of unemployment insurance benefits now available to unemployed Delaware workers from a maximum of 79 weeks to maximum of 93 weeks.

Extended Benefits (EB) Goes from 13 to 20 Weeks
- Beginning with the week of August 2, unemployed Delaware workers will be eligible for up to twenty (20) additional weeks of unemployment insurance benefits under the provisions of the Extended Benefits (EB) program, instead of thirteen (13) weeks of EB. As unemployed Delaware workers exhaust their EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation), they will now be able to file for 20 weeks of EB. These additional weeks of benefits have become available pursuant to legislation (Senate Bill 156) that was signed into law by Governor Markell.

The additional weeks of EB increase the number of weeks of unemployment insurance benefits now available to unemployed Delaware workers from a maximum of 72 weeks to a maximum of 79 weeks. Individuals who filed EB claims prior to August 2, 2009 will automatically have their EB claims adjusted for the additional seven weeks and will be mailed monetary redeterminations about their EB entitlement.

Extended Benefits (EB) Now Available
- Beginning with the week of June 28-July 4, 2009, unemployed Delaware workers will be eligible for up to thirteen additional weeks of unemployment insurance benefits under the provisions of the Extended Benefits (EB) program. As unemployed Delaware workers exhaust their EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation), they will now be able to file for 13 weeks of EB. These additional weeks of benefits have become available pursuant to legislation (Senate Bill 156) that was signed into law by Governor Markell.

The Division of Unemployment Insurance will mail notification about EB and instructions for filing for these benefits to individuals at time their final EUC payment is issued. These additional weeks of benefits increase the number of weeks of unemployment insurance benefits now available to unemployed Delaware workers from a maximum of 59 weeks to a maximum of 72 weeks.

Discrimination in Employment Regulations to Take Effect January 1, 2009
- In accordance with 19 Del. C. § 712(a)(2), Secretary Sharp has approved the final regulations to govern the Discrimination in Employment Administrative Process. The new regulations include requirements for filing and answering discrimination complaints; timetables and deadlines; and procedures for mediation, investigation, and conciliation.
Read a user-friendly summary of the regulations in the Delaware Employment Law Blog!

Wage and Hour
- Delaware's Wage Payment and Collection Act (19 Del. C. Chapter 11), Minimum Wage Act (19 Del. C. Chapter 9) and Discrimination in Employment Act (19 Del. C. Chapter 7) all have posting requirements. - The Department of Labor can collect minimum wages on behalf of Delaware workers. The minimum wage is $7.25 as of July 24, 2009.

New Workers' Compensation Rate Effective June 16, 2009
- The new maximum workers' compensation rate, effective June 16, 2009, has been announced by the Secretary of Labor. For further information, please click on the link below.

Workers' Compensation Health Care Payment System
- In accordance with 19 Del. C. § 2322, and effective 5/23/08, the Governor appointed Health Care Advisory Panel (HCAP) established a Workers' Compensation Health Care Payment System (HCPS) for Delaware. This new system includes: