Court Strikes Down Missouri Law Cutting Jobless Benefits

[Purveyor]

Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The Missouri Supreme Court struck down a law Tuesday that had cut the duration of the state's unemployment benefits to one of the shortest periods nationally, meaning thousands of residents could get a longer financial lifeline as they look for work.

Since January, jobless workers have been limited to 13 weeks of benefits as a result of a measure that links the duration to Missouri's statewide unemployment rate, providing less aid when fewer people are searching for work.

In a 4-3 ruling Tuesday, the state's high court said the law never should have taken effect because of the way in which it was passed by the Republican-led Legislature. The result is that Missouri's jobless benefits will return to a maximum of 20 weeks, which is still shorter than the longtime national norm of half a year.

When Missouri's benefit cut took effect, it tied the state with North Carolina for the second shortest period, behind only the 12 weeks of benefits offered in Florida.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_UNEMPLOYMENT_BENEFITS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-07-26-17-42-57

[tonyt53]

1. Republicans hate people that are having a hard time surviving.

[cstanleytech]

3. Nah they dont hate them.

They just wish they would die.

[avaistheone1]

4. That's what my husband tells me they say.

[safeinOhio]

2. As we use to say in the 60s

All power to the Workers.

[benld74]

5. At least SCOMO does rite thing in my state

[PatrickforO]

6. I posted something positive about Sanders on The Hill, and some

conservative fellow called me a parasite. I want benefits from the tax dollars I pay in, see?

In a full employment economy 26 weeks is a sufficient and humane duration for unemployment benefits. Yes, it is true that some look upon it as a 'vacation,' but most people do not. Most people, the far majority, look at it as what it is - a safety net so they don't have to lose everything.

If you look at the BLS data, you see that a full 59.5% are finding work before or at 14 weeks. However 40.5% are taking more than 14 weeks, and nearly 26% of the people are taking more than 27 weeks.

Now the Republicans will say, "Well, if you decrease the duration, then these people will get jobs faster!" but that really isn't true. We are now in a full employment market, but the labor market is consistently rejecting about a quarter of those who find themselves out of work. Why?

We don't know. But to cut the duration of unemployment payments in half, to only 13 weeks, would truly be inhumane. My grandfather was a union organizer, and hey guys, without the early union members bleeding in the streets we wouldn't even have unemployment.

So here's the real question:

When is the last time the Republicans did ANYTHING that actually helped you or your family?

When?