LD1725 - Unemployment Insurance

(2012)

An Act To Strengthen the Unemployment Insurance Laws and Reduce Unemployment Fraud

Sponsored by Sponsored by: Sen. Chris Rector (R – Thomaston)

What is the bill?

LD 1725 was another case of misplaced priorities. During the worst recession in 80 years, LD 1725 sought to weaken the unemployment insurance system and penalize laid-off workers. The ultimate fight on this bill was on unemployment insurance and vacation pay – namely whether a worker who has earned vacation pay on the books when they are laid-off should have their unemployment delayed week for week. We don’t think they should. Vacation pay is pay that workers earn before getting laid off. People have earned this and it should not delay their unemployment check. The original version of LD 1725 delayed unemployment week for week for any earned vacation time on the books. The final version that passed penalizes a laid-off worker for weeks of earned vacation pay over four weeks. For example, a worker who has six weeks of earned vacation at the time of layoff would have to wait two weeks longer than other workers to collect unemployment insurance. The bill also forces laid-off workers into lower paying jobs faster. Grassroots pressure from union members and allies limited the damage of this bill, held it up for weeks in the Senate and ultimately forced it to be amended.

What happened?

Bill passed in amended form and signed by the Governor

Votes