GOP LAWMAKERS SUPPORT MEASURE THAT “UNRAVELS” BENEFITS TO UNEMPLOYED WORKERS
AUGUSTA—In a party-line vote, the Maine Senate voted 18 – 16 on a measure, LD 1725, that some Democrats call an “ill conceived” bill that reduces benefits to unemployed Maine workers.
The bill delays unemployment benefits until after the laid off employee has used up their vacation time and reduces the time frame during which an unemployed worker is required to widen their job search outside their occupation, wage, or geographic region, from 12 weeks to 10 weeks.
“Laid off workers are already struggling to make ends meet,” said Sen. Troy Jackson of Allagash who also serves on the Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development committee. “Workers not only count on but need their earned benefits, like vacation time, to get by. We should be helping Maine workers stay afloat not taking money out of their pockets during a time of transition.”
If the bill is enacted, Maine would be one of only 11 states in the country that delay unemployment benefits based on having earned vacation pay. An amendment was offered which allows the employer to pay upfront an employee’s vacation time up to four weeks. Jackson added that this measure is unfair and arbitrary because laid off workers would be treated differently depending on whether or not they took vacation prior to being laid off.
“We are just starting to come out of a very deep recession and we have a choice: we can go down the road of penalizing workers or we can find ways to get people back to work that are productive,” said Sen. Phil Bartlett of Gorham. “Let’s stand up for Maine workers instead of unraveling and cutting holes in a safety net that helps workers.”
Bartlett added that unemployment benefits are part of the “core fundamental safety net” that help workers during economic distress.
Sen. Jackson noted during the floor debate that the governor had originally pitched this bill as an “anti-fraud” bill yet Maine ranks 5th lowest in the nation for fraud occurrences with a rate of .54%.
The measure faces further votes in both the Senate and the House.
