Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2010

Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2010 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 with respect to the state-established individual emergency unemployment compensation account (EUCA). Extends the final date for entering a federal-state agreement under the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program through November 30, 2010. Postpones the termination of the program until April 30, 2011.

Amends the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act to extend until December 1, 2010, requirements that federal payments to states cover 100% of EUC.

Amends the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008 to exempt weeks of unemployment between enactment of this Act and April 30, 2011, from the prohibition in the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 against federal matching payments to a state for the first week in an individual's eligibility period for which extended compensation or sharable regular compensation is paid if the state law provides for payment of regular compensation to an individual for his or her first week of otherwise compensable unemployment. (Thus allows temporary federal matching for the first week of extended benefits for states with no waiting period.)

Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 to apply to claims for EUC payments the terms and conditions of state unemployment compensation law relating to availability of work, active search for work, and refusal to accept work.

(Sec. 3) Requires a state to determine whether an individual is to be paid EUC or regular compensation for a week of unemployment by using one of four specified methods if: (1) an individual has been determined to be entitled to EUC for a benefit year; (2) that benefit year has expired; and (3) such individual has remaining entitlement to EUC for that benefit year, and would qualify for a new benefit year in which the weekly benefit amount of regular compensation is at least either $100 or 25% less than the individual's weekly benefit amount in such benefit year.

(Sec. 4) Declares that federal-state agreements under which the state agency makes EUC payments to certain individuals shall not apply (or shall cease to apply) with respect to a state whose method for computing regular compensation under such state's law has been modified in a manner that reduces the average weekly benefit amount of regular compensation payable on or after June 2, 2010, to less than the average weekly benefit amount of regular compensation otherwise payable under the state law as in effect on such date. (Thus prohibits states from reducing regular compensation in order to be eligible for federal funds under the EUC program.)

(Sec. 5) Designates Sec. 2 and Sec. 3 as an emergency in the House of Representatives pursuant to the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 and in the Senate as an emergency requirement.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov