With the jobless rate in Michigan rising due to the Coronavirus pandemic, state Democrats are making a push to permanently expand and increase unemployment benefits.
West Michigan State Representative Terry Sabo says action was needed even before the pandemic.
“These bills would strengthen employment protections and expand benefits, allowing workers to focus on finding a new job without worrying about how they can pay their bills or put food on the table. Unfortunately, these bills have not moved since we introduced them back in 2019.”
The federal government has issued guidance that benefits be set at 66-percent of the average weekly wage. Michigan’s unemployment benefits have been capped and are currently just below 40-percent of the average weekly wage.
The state legislature extended benefits from 20 to 26 weeks due to the coronavirus crisis, but that is set to expire at the end of the year.