Published: Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Timely boost in jobless benefits
Bigger unemployment benefit checks will go out starting in May, the result of legislation approved at the state and federal level.
OLYMPIA -- Good political timing will provide a much appreciated boost for Snohomish County's jobless.
Come May, their unemployment benefit checks will be getting bigger, nearly double for the lowest wage-earners, as a result of new laws being enacted this week.
On Monday, Gov. Chris Gregoire signed legislation that raises the minimum weekly payment and provides a $45-a-week increase for every claimant.
Today, President Barack Obama is scheduled to enact the massive federal economic recovery plan, which will add another $25 a week in benefit checks.
The result: Starting May 3, payments to unemployed workers in Washington will range from a low of $225 a week to $611, up from present amounts of $129 and $541, respectively.
"We're doing something very real for Washington families," Gov. Chris Gregoire said Monday before signing House Bill 1906 in front of a crowd of beaming Democratic lawmakers and labor union members. The legislation soared through the Legislature with very little opposition.
In Washington, a record 90,331 new applications for unemployment were filed in December as the state's unemployment rate topped 7 percent.
In Snohomish County, there were 27,140 unemployed workers at the end of the year, of whom 18,357 had filed claims.
Gregoire said aiding the jobless will pay dividends for the state's economy too, because those receiving the money spend it rather than save it.
She estimated as much as $500 million will be circulated into the economy as a result of the heftier checks.
To pay for the higher benefits, lawmakers are siphoning $175 million out of the state's $4 billion unemployment insurance trust fund. While most Republicans supported the legislation, they have expressed concern with draining the fund too rapidly as unemployment continues to rise.
The new law expands eligibility for a program that allows people to receive unemployment benefits while in a job training program.
It adds low-wage workers, National Guard members, honorably discharged military personnel and disabled workers to those who can collect up to 52 weeks of unemployment benefits while going back to school to get skills for a high-demand job, such as nursing. The program has been limited to those who lose jobs in industries such as timber or fishing
Monday marked only one part of the unemployment insurance and benefit debate. The other part involves providing aid to businesses by temporarily reducing the taxes they pay to the unemployment benefits fund.
That is still being negotiated, Gregoire said.
"The benefit to business will be sizable," she said.
No date has been set to get the legislation to the governor for action.
Herald news services contributed to this report.
Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623, jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
Come May, their unemployment benefit checks will be getting bigger, nearly double for the lowest wage-earners, as a result of new laws being enacted this week.
On Monday, Gov. Chris Gregoire signed legislation that raises the minimum weekly payment and provides a $45-a-week increase for every claimant.
Today, President Barack Obama is scheduled to enact the massive federal economic recovery plan, which will add another $25 a week in benefit checks.
The result: Starting May 3, payments to unemployed workers in Washington will range from a low of $225 a week to $611, up from present amounts of $129 and $541, respectively.
"We're doing something very real for Washington families," Gov. Chris Gregoire said Monday before signing House Bill 1906 in front of a crowd of beaming Democratic lawmakers and labor union members. The legislation soared through the Legislature with very little opposition.
In Washington, a record 90,331 new applications for unemployment were filed in December as the state's unemployment rate topped 7 percent.
In Snohomish County, there were 27,140 unemployed workers at the end of the year, of whom 18,357 had filed claims.
Gregoire said aiding the jobless will pay dividends for the state's economy too, because those receiving the money spend it rather than save it.
She estimated as much as $500 million will be circulated into the economy as a result of the heftier checks.
To pay for the higher benefits, lawmakers are siphoning $175 million out of the state's $4 billion unemployment insurance trust fund. While most Republicans supported the legislation, they have expressed concern with draining the fund too rapidly as unemployment continues to rise.
The new law expands eligibility for a program that allows people to receive unemployment benefits while in a job training program.
It adds low-wage workers, National Guard members, honorably discharged military personnel and disabled workers to those who can collect up to 52 weeks of unemployment benefits while going back to school to get skills for a high-demand job, such as nursing. The program has been limited to those who lose jobs in industries such as timber or fishing
Monday marked only one part of the unemployment insurance and benefit debate. The other part involves providing aid to businesses by temporarily reducing the taxes they pay to the unemployment benefits fund.
That is still being negotiated, Gregoire said.
"The benefit to business will be sizable," she said.
No date has been set to get the legislation to the governor for action.
Herald news services contributed to this report.
Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623, jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
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