Delegate Smith calls Hogan's Decision to end Federal Unemployment Benefits 'Insensitive and Cruel'

Del. Stephanie Smith (D-Baltimore City) Thursday slammed Gov. Larry Hogan’s recent decision to discontinue Maryland’s participation in federal unemployment benefits, saying it will hurt the state’s most vulnerable residents.

“For many people that had lower-wage jobs, which are disproportionately compromised of women and people of color-the decisions our governor has made will have even more of a long-lasting impact because we are talking about people specifically who have worked, paid into unemployment insurance, and struggled through the state’s mismanagement of the unemployment insurance program to even get what was owed to them…and now they are not even able to tap into the last remnants of that federal assistance that was made available,” Smith told Maryland Reporter.com.

Smith added: “It was highly insensitive and cruel to think that this decision was in the best interests of every day Marylanders….Just as there is a little bit of breathing room being granted by the federal government, to pull the rug out from under people in the summer, is the height of cruelty and is insensitive.”

Smith noted that Hogan’s decision will not only mean an end to an extra $300 a week in benefits, but also the discontinuation of Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).

Read more: https://marylandreporter.com/2021/06/03/del-smith-calls-hogans-decision-to-end-federal-unemployment-benefits-insensitive-and-cruel/#comment-21718