Deep Cuts to Unemployment Passes, Critics Say It Won't Help Workforce Shortage

The Republican-run Iowa House agreed to cut benefits for unemployed workers by 10 weeks yesterday in a move critics say will cause an even further exodus of workers out of a state that desperately needs them.

The Iowa Legislature’s vote to cut unemployment benefits from 26 to 16 weeks is expected to be signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds. It also lowers benefits from 39 weeks to 26 for workers who lost their jobs after a business closure.

“When we have more jobs available than we have people on unemployment, we need to take a look at a system that was put in place during a much, much different time in our history,” Reynolds said in March.

The bill lowers the maximum amount of time a worker who is unemployed through no fault of their own can claim benefits, as well as forces them to accept lower-paying work earlier in their unemployment tenure. Only five Southern states and Kansas allow a maximum of 16 weeks or fewer.

Read more: https://iowastartingline.com/2022/04/27/deep-cuts-to-unemployment-passes-critics-say-it-wont-help-workforce-shortage/