NELP Statement on House passage of HR 3630, slashing UI Benefits

Unemployed workers in the following states would lose access to 40 weeks of unemployment insurance under H.R. 3630: Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. The current range of 34 to 73 weeks of available federally-funded unemployment insurance, depending on the state, would be dramatically reduced to 20 to 33 weeks, if the bill were enacted.

NELP estimates that the House leadership’s proposal would result in as much as $22 billion in lost economic growth to the nation’s economy, which also translates into a loss of at least 140,000 jobs next year.

Key Features of H.R. 3630

Immediately Slashes Federal Jobless Benefits and Undermines Economic Growth, Penalizing the Highest Unemployment States

Usurps the Established Authority of the States to Determine Eligibility for Unemployment Benefits, While Penalizing Millions of Deserving Workers With a New High School Equivalency Mandate to Qualify for State Benefits

Misguided Drug Testing Policy Further Penalizes Honest Workers and Pointlessly Burdens State Agencies

Opens the Door to “Means Testing” of UI Benefits By Denying Benefits to Workers Based on Their Income

Further Insults Workers by Charging them $5 Each for the Costs of their Reemployment Services

Would Authorize Waivers of Federal Law that Now Protect Against Abuse of the Program, Such as New Workfare Type Programs

Eliminates the “Non-Reduction Rule,” Providing States with the Leeway to Slash UI Benefits Next Year

caleb23 wrote:Why are all States not mentioned? I am from Massachusetts and see that my state is not listed.