“Today, I am proud to sign commonsense legislation that extends unemployment benefits, improves job training for apprentices, and more,” said Governor Whitmer. “With winter just around corner, Michiganders are still juggling high costs and a competitive job market. These bills will put money back in people's pockets so they can keep a roof over their heads, pay the bills, get a good-paying job, and put food on the table. I’ll work with anyone to make sure Michigan is the first place folks think of to live, work, and raise their families.”
I can’t even tell you how huge this is for some people. I have only been laid off once in my life, 20 years ago now. That $362 a week was less than half of what I made and I got by for a few months while I found another job. But for a lot of people making a lot more than I was then, $362 a week is basically a sentence of financial ruin. After taxes it’s basically $1200 a month, for people making $3000 a month or more, that’s just not enough. And it has been stuck at $362 for 22 years.
Covid’s enhanced UE showed people that being out of work for a few or even several months doesn’t have to mean total financial ruin.
It’s still means tested, so people making $1500 a month aren’t going to get $614 a week, but raising the cap means a ton to most working families. Things are bound to get really tough in the next 4 years. Making it so working people have just a little more safety net is such a huge deal.
= new reply since forum marked as read