Pennsylvania will likely lose EB by May 20

FIRST PLEASE READ THE ARTICLE BELOW. IT IS NOT ONLY FOR PENNSYLVANIANS BUT FOR MOST STATES. THEN READ THIS - Please contact Governor Corbett at PA.gov and PA Dept. of L&I's Minority Chair, Senator Christine Tartaglione at her website http://www.senatortartaglione.com/ and plead with them to enact legislation to extend Extended Benefits (EB) ASAP. If anyone can put together a general letter and post it, please do. We are likely to lose EB by May 20th but I do not know what the deadline is for applying to the Federal Government for the Extended Benefits (EB). Remember Pennsylvania is a RED state (Republican Governor) and not likely to want to extend these "free" Federal funds (nuts ain't it). Also any other legislators which you can list from PA, please do and give us their contact information. We must fax, call and email now. We don't have much time and remember THEY SCREWED US OUT OF TIER 4 AND POSSIBLY EB BY TRADING TAX CUTS TO THE RICH FOR AN UNEMPLOYMENT EXTENSION OF 13 MONTHS. HAD WE KNOWN MOST OF US WOULD LOSE EB BY THE MIDDLE OF JULY, WE WOULD HAVE SPIT ON THAT DEAL. AS IT IS TAX CUTS FOR THE RICH ARE NOW PAID FOR BY CUTTING EB. SO PLEASE GET TO IT, WE NEED YOUr HELP. ALSO, PLEASE CHECK YOUR OWN STATE NOW, THEY ARE BEING VERY QUIET ABOUT THIS. MAKES ME WONDER


PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE
On April - 2 - 2011 References at bottom

As more get jobs, those who haven't lose benefits.

The prognosticators are optimistic to the max when it comes to the nations employment situation， as they expect the U.S. Labor Department to report Friday morning that the nations employment expanded by 180，000 to 200，000 in March."Businesses are hiring， and with layoffs being minimal， it appears that the labor market is indeed getting better，" said Joel L. Naroff， of Naroff Economics in Bucks County.That optimism scares Sharon Dietrich， a community legal-service lawyer who has long been one of the chief advocates for the unemployed in Pennsylvania.She is concerned because， even if the job market is starting to blossom， 90，000 unemployed Pennsylvanians could soon find themselves ineligible for part of their jobless benefits. That is about one in six of the states unemployed.The first 45，000 will lose their benefits for six weeks， starting Saturday."People without jobs will be even more out of [the publics] mind as the unemployment rate declines and economic optimism increases，" Dietrich said."But the statewide unemployment rate is still 8 percent， and thousands of jobless people remain as desperate as if it were the middle of the recession，" she said.For technical reasons， the benefits problem is more likely to affect unemployed Pennsylvanians than the jobless in New Jersey and Delaware.And now， a primer on unemployment benefits:In all three states， as in most states， the newly unemployed begin by receiving 26 weeks of state-funded unemployment benefits. Since the recession began in December 2007， the federal government has funded an additional 53 weeks worth of payments， broken up into segments.The last six weeks of the 53 are known as tier four， which are designed to phase out as a states average three-month unemployment rate falls below 8.5 percent.With a 9.2 percent unemployment rate， New Jerseys labor market is still tough enough so its jobless qualify for those six weeks. Delawares rate also qualifies.But Pennsylvanias three-month average just dropped below 8.5 percent， warranting the end of the tier-four benefits.After the regular state and emergency federal benefits run out， there is still one more set of benefits for the long-term unemployed – a 20-week block known as Extended Benefits， now funded by the federal government.These， too， are designed to phase out， state by state， as conditions improve. So， how is improvement measured? The long-standing formula compares a states average unemployment rate for the most recent three months with the same period in 2009. If it is 10 percent higher now， the benefits stay. If not， they vanish.But heres the scenario. In 2009， the unemployment rate was worsening. Now its improving. That means the gap between the two years is narrowing， so it is more likely that those benefits will go away.Pennsylvania will likely reach that point by May 20， with all extended benefits coming to an end as of June 11， the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry projects. The department estimates that 45，000 jobless will be cut off at some point during the 20 weeks.But many more will be affected because they will not receive any of the 20 weeks of benefits after they use up their earlier payments.To cope with this situation at a time when 13.6 million Americans are unemployed， Congress changed the "look back" to three years， comparing 2011 to 2008.But there is a catch. Each state has to agree. Delaware already has， and a bill is awaiting Gov. Christies signature in New Jersey. No word from his office on his plans.In Pennsylvania， there is no pending legislation. Sen. Christine Tartaglione (D.， Phila.)， the minority leader of the state Senates labor and industry committee， plans to introduce a measure early in April."We are in the situation now， where state legislators are convening and they have to get to this st， before their state triggers off" the extended benefits， said Maurice Emsellem， who monitors the issue for the National Employment Law Project， a national advocacy group."Once you trigger off， you are off for 13 weeks，" he said.Potential opponents to Tartagliones measure include large employers and municipalities such as the City of Philadelphia that fund unemployment benefits themselves and do not tap into the statewide unemployment insurance fund.For John Di Ciurcio， the issue is now moot: He was laid off as a help-desk specialist in April 2009， and he exhausted all state and federal benefits two weeks ago. But he cannot imagine why support for the unemployed would diminish now."They are saying the economy is coming back， but jobs are the last to come back，" he said. "Maybe those benefits will buy you a little time to hopefully get a job."

http://www.lenely.com/as-more-get-jobs-those-who-havent-ce-benefits-losemployment-l/
and
http://articles.philly.com/2011-04-01/news/29370840_1_unemployment-rate-unemployment-benefits-extended-benefits/2[i][u]

Thanks, Dazed&Confused. I didn't realize this was happening. I'm going to the recently formed PA Wants to Work steering comittee meeting today, and I'm going to forward this article to all of these folks to see if they are aware of this.

And of course I will do the usual phone calls, e-mails, etc..

This is unbelievable! It will eventually affect 90,000 people. What are these people supposed to do? With a number of states doing this now, I am very curious about how they are going to calculate the National Unemployment Rate going forward. Will the BLS take into consideration all the people who will lose EB in the states that are eliminating it, or will they define them as "discouraged workers" who have given up? If they do the latter, the unemployment rate is going to take a huge plunge in the next few months, even though millions more are added to the rank of "exhaustees".

Update: just called Sen. Tartaglione's office and her nice staffer said that the senator is going to introduce her legislation tomorrow or maybe early next week. My senator (Ferlo) is sure to support it, but I will call and e-mail any way.

And I'll report back from the PA Wants to Work meeting today.

JoanB wrote:Thanks, Dazed&Confused. I didn't realize this was happening. I'm going to the recently formed PA Wants to Work steering comittee meeting today, and I'm going to forward this article to all of these folks to see if they are aware of this.

And of course I will do the usual phone calls, e-mails, etc..

Thank you Joan, it is really scary. Do pass it around and occasionally bump the thread so we do not get stuck like NC who tired to blame it on the Feds when it was really the state doing the maneuvering.


All states need to take note of this for their own sake, please read this.

JoanB wrote:Update: just called Sen. Tartaglione's office and her nice staffer said that the senator is going to introduce her legislation tomorrow or maybe early next week. My senator (Ferlo) is sure to support it, but I will call and e-mail any way.

And I'll report back from the PA Wants to Work meeting today.

Thank you so much Joan. I have emailed her quite a few times with no response. I know she is busy. Glad to hear this and looking forward to hearing back about you PA wants to work meeting. Remember one thing, PA has a disproportionate (I can believe I spelled that right) number of Boners as opposed to Democrats. Gotta love you.

Dazed&Confused wrote:

JoanB wrote:Update: just called Sen. Tartaglione's office and her nice staffer said that the senator is going to introduce her legislation tomorrow or maybe early next week. My senator (Ferlo) is sure to support it, but I will call and e-mail any way.

And I'll report back from the PA Wants to Work meeting today.

Thank you so much Joan. I have emailed her quite a few times with no response. I know she is busy. Glad to hear this and looking forward to hearing back about you PA wants to work meeting. Remember one thing, PA has a disproportionate (I can believe I spelled that right) number of Boners as opposed to Democrats. Gotta love you.

Thank you, Dazed. I wouldn't have known about it if not for your post. You have redirect our focus for right now. We're going to explore several ideas around calling and lobbying efforts because of you. I'll know more in a few days and will keep you updated.

Thanks Penguin gal, you got a great slap shot, yes you do, I can tell you'd make a great Flyers Fan if you were born here. Now be nice, lol Dazed

DesperateInRI wrote:This is unbelievable! It will eventually affect 90,000 people. What are these people supposed to do? With a number of states doing this now, I am very curious about how they are going to calculate the National Unemployment Rate going forward. Will the BLS take into consideration all the people who will lose EB in the states that are eliminating it, or will they define them as "discouraged workers" who have given up? If they do the latter, the unemployment rate is going to take a huge plunge in the next few months, even though millions more are added to the rank of "exhaustees".

Babe, can I call you that? I think that was the whole point of the December 2010 deal. They knew what was going to happen, you know they are smarter than us and live high and don't care. Well maybe they are not smarter than us. Dazed&Confused

This is truly going to be a mess and send financial waves throughout the country if all these Republican Governors can Eb, it ain't gonna be nice.

There are no jobs, don't they get it! They have screwed the American Dream for our children and grandchildren, but fixed it for their children and grandchildren. Ain't that nice.

Update (minor) called my senator's (Ferlo) office. They knew nothing about this, but I sent them your link. The staffer I talked to said that he would call me back--seemed to be suggesting that they were having a meeting or something this morning and that he would bring this up.

I'm going to call my state rep now(Frankel).

You should try calling Sen. Tartaglione. I find calling much more satisfying than any other mode, but that's just me.

I can't believe the Republicans are gonna vote against this (the article didn't say that, but you know they will). What a bunch of ass hats.

Okay. So I have just called the Senators office in Philadelphia.The young woman told me to call Amanda in Harrisburg since everyone who would know anything was out to lunch. I called Amanda in Harrisburg and she put me through to speak with Sherry in Harrisburg (717) 787-1141. I explained I wanted to know if the Senator was working on legislation to get Extended Benefits based on a three-year look back. She told me yes they were working on it, they would then have to get some supporters of the bill, it would then get a print #. After that they would vote on it and if they get enough votes, and I think they will if we write/fax/email every PA legislator we can, it will pass and go to the Governor for his signature in short order.. That was right out of the Harrisburg office. So lets get moving on the legislators, names and email, phone #'s. I am so tired, I have to get some sleep now.

Told the young woman Sherry from the Senators Harrisburg office that she would probably be getting some phone calls so start calling. Dazed&Confused

Joan, if necessary will you meet me in Harrisburg so we can picket?

Good work calling the Senator's office, Dazed. Before calling all the PA senators though, I would wait for two reasons:

1. Since it hasn't been introduced yet, they are unlikely to know what you're talking about.
   
   
2. The bill has to get out of committee (Labor & Industry) first before it can go to the floor for a vote.

Here are the committe members:

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/cteeInfo/cteeInfo.cfm?cde=13&body=S

We have four Democrats on the committee. We don't even know yet if all of them will vote for this, so we have to find that out. So once Sen. Tartaglione introduces the bill, we can see that and then if they all do, we need to flip two Republicans. If not, we have to flip more. I'd rather just flip them the bird, but that's not how this works unfortunately.

Dazed&Confused wrote:Joan, if necessary will you meet me in Harrisburg so we can picket?

Unless I get a job.

This is not the time to be worried about getting a job! We have this to worry about!

Dazed&Confused wrote:This is not the time to be worried about getting a job! We have this to worry about!

Ha...that's right up there with worrying about a meteorite hitting me and finding one of these Republicans who has a soul.

You ain't gonna find one freakin' Republican to help us if the government shuts down. They will hate the unemployed more than ever trying to get back at the Democrats...

Dazed&Confused wrote:Thanks Penguin gal, you got a great slap shot, yes you do, I can tell you'd make a great Flyers Fan if you were born here. Now be nice, lol Dazed

Oh, BTW, I acutally was born in Philly. Grew up in Cleveland. And now live in Pittsburgh. So I have the dubious distinction of being from the three cities that people make the most fun of.

Dazed&Confused wrote:This is not the time to be worried about getting a job! We have this to worry about!

I agree. I have cut my work search way down to help pass a fix bill in NC. If I am hired after today I won't be able to make enough money to stay in my house for May anyway.

And I didn't get hired today.

Dazed&Confused--Thanks for this thread. I had no idea.
JoanB--thanks for keeping this thread alive, alongwith Dazed&Confused.

I just found this thread, and am wondering why no one else is posting???

Anyway, from what I've read, it sounds like the State Senate (?) might put out a bill to, what, High EB (7 weeks) to continue if PA.'s unemployment rate dips below 8%. From what I understand, regular EB is triggered when the state's unemp. rate reaches 6%, so why would regular EB, since PA is nowhere near 6%?

So, is Regular EB going to end if the rate drops below 8% as of May 20? If so, why?

I'm trying to make sense of this, because I want to call and fax as you two are doing, but I need to understand it all first.
Would one of you mind clearing this up for me?

Thanks!

I will explain tomorrow, my brain is fried. D&C

JoanB wrote:

Dazed&Confused wrote:Thanks Penguin gal, you got a great slap shot, yes you do, I can tell you'd make a great Flyers Fan if you were born here. Now be nice, lol Dazed

Oh, BTW, I acutally was born in Philly. Grew up in Cleveland. And now live in Pittsburgh. So I have the dubious distinction of being from the three cities that people make the most fun of.

Oh jeez, that is really, really a shame...3 bad, bad cities.

Was wondering how you got your great sense of humor. Cleveland, oh my, now I have to say that is the worse city of all 3.

As W.C. Fields explained about death and dying, "All in all, I'd rather live in Philadelphia." One step up from hell, heat and humidity.

Jane0218 wrote:Dazed&Confused--Thanks for this thread. I had no idea.
JoanB--thanks for keeping this thread alive, alongwith Dazed&Confused.

I just found this thread, and am wondering why no one else is posting???

Anyway, from what I've read, it sounds like the State Senate (?) might put out a bill to, what, High EB (7 weeks) to continue if PA.'s unemployment rate dips below 8%. From what I understand, regular EB is triggered when the state's unemp. rate reaches 6%, so why would regular EB, since PA is nowhere near 6%?

So, is Regular EB going to end if the rate drops below 8% as of May 20? If so, why?

I'm trying to make sense of this, because I want to call and fax as you two are doing, but I need to understand it all first.
Would one of you mind clearing this up for me?

Thanks!

The trigger is if the rate now is less than 10% higher than it was is 2009. Since that condition will most likely be met, the US Congress passed legislation that instead of comparing 2011 to 2009, they will compare 2011 to 2008, when the rate was worse. But for that to take effect, the state legislatures also have to pass it to get the federal money. Here in PA, we still have to get this out of committee before it can get to the floor for a vote.

Just getting this out of committe is going to be tough. The committee (Labor and Industry) consists of 11 members--7 Republicans and 4 Democrats:

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/cteeInfo/cteeInfo.cfm?cde=13&body=S

I have to find out this morning if Sen. Tartangilione has introduced the bill to the comitteee yet. When she has done that, we can start working on getting to other committee members to vote it out of committee and onto the floor.

I'm not going to kid you-this is an uphill battle. They are going to try to strangle this baby in its crib and every step along the way. But this is doable.

Maybe not that many people are posting because this is not the best place for this thread. Does anyone have a suggestion for a high visibility location where we should ask to have it moved?

I will try to find out If Sen. Tartaglione has introduced the bill yet and let you guys know. One thing you guys can do until then is research all the other people on that committee so we can get a rough idea of who we're dealing with. Find how they've voted on other legislation so we can kind of predict who might be reachable vs. who is a waste of time. That would be a big help!

LABOR & INDUSTRY

Officers
Gordner, John R. , Chair
Smucker, Lloyd K., Vice Chair
Tartaglione, Christine M. , Minority Chair
Scarnati, Joseph B., III, ex-officio
Majority
Browne, Patrick M.
Folmer, Mike
McIlhinney, Charles T., Jr.
Yaw, Gene

Minority
Blake, John P.
Kasunic, Richard A
Stack, Michael J.