Utah Legislature: Bill wouldn't count Social Security against unemployment claims

Utah seniors who are working but have been laid off will no longer have their Social Security income count against state unemployment compensation under a bill that passed the House Monday.

HB43 "rights a wrong" and "ends this irrational discriminatory law against senior citizens who are seeking unemployment," Rep. Steve Mascaro, R-West Jordan, told fellow House members.

Under the bill, beginning July 1, 2010, unemployment benefits would no longer be offset by Social Security income. Current law, in place since 2001, in effect takes seniors' income from the federal Social Security program they are entitled to free and clear, regardless of whether they have gone back to work or are receiving unemployment compensation from the state.

Speaking in support of the bill, Rep. Christine Watkins, D-Price, said seniors in her district had called her "too upset to even talk," because their Social Security income was being factored into the unemployment payment formula for determining benefits.

The offset was originally adopted nine years ago as an attempt to apply the state's extra income adjustments to all unemployment recipients, regardless of age or source of the extra money.

House members voted 60-15 in favor of the measure, which now moves to the Senate for consideration

— James Thalman