Thursday, February 10, 2011

State Turns Down Fed Money for Unemployment Benefits

Federal money offered to Wyoming for unemployment benefits will go to other states. The Wyoming House rejected a plan to use 38-million dollars in federal funding to extend benefits to those experiencing long-term unemployment, and to keep benefits in place for those in re-training programs. Many of those testifying said they didn’t think unemployed people were looking hard enough to find jobs. Kim Floyd with the Wyoming State AFL-CIO says missing in the debate was the fact that there are more workers than jobs in many sectors, especially the construction industry.








Additional federal money would have expanded eligibility calculations and continued benefits for folks enrolled in state-approved job training programs. Floyd, who used to be a dislocated worker coordinator for the state, says turning down that training-related funding is a missed opportunity.








The Wyoming Department of Employment estimates the state lost more than 15-thousand jobs during the recession. Twenty-four million of the federal money would have gone to about 56-hundred Wyomingites for 13 weeks – each receiving less than 330-dollars a week.

1 comment:

  1. I can not really understand the reason why the government of the state rejected the federal money. If there is a real problem that it must be solved. During last period a lot of people have been reduced, the labor market is decreasing and people have to apply for advance till payday here. According to unstable economical situation banks tend not to give money to some unreliable people, but they still need monetary help. I guess the government has to make some changes.

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