To: The Ohio State House, The Ohio State Senate, and Governor Mike DeWine
Hands Off Our Unemployment Insurance
Ohio legislators must take responsibility for the financial issues plaguing our state’s unemployment insurance system. Working people can’t live without this program, and the last thing we’ll accept is a cut in benefits.
Why is this important?
As Ohio’s unemployment insurance system grapples with insolvency, some lawmakers think working people are to blame.
During the 2016 session, HB394 attempted to upend how benefits are received. The unemployment insurance period would have been reduced from 26 weeks to as few as 12 weeks, tying Florida and North Carolina for the shortest systems in the United States.
HB394 also went after the most vulnerable Ohioans. Disabled residents receiving most forms of workers’ compensation would no longer qualify for unemployment insurance. Parents would no longer receive additional weekly benefits to help care for their children.
After the recession in 2008, the state borrowed $1.6 billion from the federal government to keep the unemployment system going. Employers paid higher taxes for it, but they’re looking to end that. HB394 would have saved corporations $313 million each year in taxes.
HB394 fell through, but the unemployment insurance issue isn’t going away. Join us in putting pressure on the state Legislature to expand our benefits, not cut them.
During the 2016 session, HB394 attempted to upend how benefits are received. The unemployment insurance period would have been reduced from 26 weeks to as few as 12 weeks, tying Florida and North Carolina for the shortest systems in the United States.
HB394 also went after the most vulnerable Ohioans. Disabled residents receiving most forms of workers’ compensation would no longer qualify for unemployment insurance. Parents would no longer receive additional weekly benefits to help care for their children.
After the recession in 2008, the state borrowed $1.6 billion from the federal government to keep the unemployment system going. Employers paid higher taxes for it, but they’re looking to end that. HB394 would have saved corporations $313 million each year in taxes.
HB394 fell through, but the unemployment insurance issue isn’t going away. Join us in putting pressure on the state Legislature to expand our benefits, not cut them.