Well if you don't get job by the time period of six months then you are eligible to collect unemployment but these requirements vary from state to state so you must confirm with your federal department of unemployment. You will be eligible for unemployment if you will have no job in hand.
I feel your pain, I was told today myself from the DOL in Topeka I did not qualify for Tier 2 either. There is to much red tape in this thing that congress approved.