Deseret News | Unemployment extension treats people unequally

Reader comments
Lois M. Collins: Unemployment extension treats people unequally

Dave | 8:07 a.m. Sept. 24, 2009

Do you suppose that the fact that the States with high unemployment happen to be union States could have anything to do with this?

Brother Chuck Schroeder | 8:30 a.m. Sept. 24, 2009

When Utah have dozens and dozens of applicants for one job with a mediocre salary and benefits, good candidates for that job just don't want it, they are spoiled rotten, and would rather work at a desk job in the a/c all day long sitting down, they stand in line anyway for it and take up space for the ones that would take it so it's them that are going to lose out on a regular basis. I am glad Congress wrote up another 90 day extension for those unemoloyed and out of work. In Utah, they don't want to work, just sit on their duff, and allow the mormon church to pay their bill's and feed them, that is until their Sen Hatch trickles down some crumbs their way. Then they'll get up to collect it. Other then that, I hope Congress keeps on doing this for those unemployed, until all are employed again. That's my new view's.

Bro Chuck is right again | 10:41 a.m. Sept. 24, 2009

RE: Brother Chuck Schroeder - 8:30 a.m.

Right on Bro Chuck. Now, this takes the cake, when most all on this planet are out of work, and try to bring home the bread and butter to feed their family and pay a few bill's to stay alive, a GOP RINO comes along, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill in Sacramento, calling an immediate moratorium (that means TO STOP what your doing) throughout the state, on suction dredge mining, until an environmental review determines how much harm the practice is doing to struggling salmon runs. Perhaps we should call up the hardcore Republican wannabe Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and ask him how long as he been with PETA?.

Comments continue below

The real k9 | 12:28 p.m. Sept. 24, 2009

RE: Brother chuck
I am not mormon and I have been looking for work for awhile. I don't mind working outside and would happily do so. So, don't lump everyone into your train of thought. I just applied for a job that I was definately overqualified for but, there was also 60 applicants for a job that paid 11-14 dollars an hour with no health benefits. Needless to say I was not hired. So, I can't seem to get any job even though like many others have skills and are qualified to do their jobs. The only other options are manual labor jobs that destroy your body and for some of us my body has been destroyed enough when I was much younger. I am still able bodied but I want to stay that way. I don't want to be injured making 8.50 an hour with no health benefits and live off of workers compensation. My wife lost her job after 15 years in one place. Now, all she has is unemployment which is half of what she used to make. With 15 years experience she still can't find a job. Go figure

wallofvoodoo | 12:44 p.m. Sept. 24, 2009

Expect Washington, especially a Demo controlled one, to help little old Utah. Obama probably flushed the Air Force 1 toilet over Utah when he flew from Arizona to Wyoming.

Dave | 1:28 p.m. Sept. 24, 2009

Yet another little nugget illustrating why Utah (and other states)resent the federal government. EVERY AMERICAN, regardless of where they live, should at least have an equal chance at unemployment benefits bestowed by OUR Congress. After this administrations' largesse towards the auto industry, its not surprising that Demo states also receive the most funding. Its also not surprising that they have the highest unemployment rates!!

bluecollar | 3:34 p.m. Sept. 24, 2009

bingo, lois.
for over forty years i have paid for unemployment insurance either directly or indirectly. i suspect many of the other posters here have done something similar.
as a union member i luckily have some job security. persons with less seniority have a bit less job security.
even so, i don't mind continuing to pay my fair share of unemployment insurance if it helps keep my fellow citizens from starving.
if i were in charge, i would make those benefits and necessary extensions available to all unemployed citizens and future insureds, realizing that someday the economy will rebound and those currently out of work will someday be able to pay forward.

Brother Chuck Schroeder | 4:24 p.m. Sept. 24, 2009

RE: The real k9 | 12:28 p.m. Sept. 24, 2009
So, I can't seem to get any job even though like many others have skills and are qualified to do their jobs. The only other options are manual labor jobs that destroy your body and for some of us my body has been destroyed enough when I was much younger.

God Bless you and yours. Hope you find good paying work soon. Today, it seems everyone is definately overqualified and that's because of quotas in the work place and affirmative action. Thanks to the feminists and the liberal's.

Fact Check | 5:49 p.m. Sept. 24, 2009

@blue collar

Workers do not pay for unemployment insurance. UI is paid from a tax on employers. The Federal Unemployment Tax pays for the administration of UI and the states each have their own employer tax rates that fund the benefits side. States also determine eligibility for UI. The extensions are paid for out of the federal employer tax. It is a fairly common misperception that workers pay for unemployment benefits--they don't.

RE: Fact Check | 5:49 p. | 6:11 p.m. Sept. 24, 2009

check your facts,

UI is payed on BEHALF of the employee.

and HOW much you werw paid by an employer is the basis for how much UI you can collect,

if you are fired you get none at all.

Jeff RZ | 2:48 a.m. Sept. 25, 2009

Congress needs to act fast on this one. I think as long as the H1-B visa program is in effect, Congress needs to extend unlimited unemployment benefits. There are currently over a million H1-B visa engineers and computer programmers from East India working here in America. These jobs have displaced Americans with families and many who did have homes. The program needs to be stopped and the workers sent home so that Americans can get the jobs. Most H1-B visa holders are paid between $65,000 and $115,000 dollars a year. Why are they here? Each one of those million jobs can be filled by American workers no prob. There are folks with PHD's and Masters (thousands of them) who can't find jobs anywhere, and America is promoting preferential treatment toward East Indians, so in affect all men are not created equal.

BH | 12:08 p.m. Sept. 25, 2009

Lois is spot on re. this recent Unemployement extension. There is no defendable justice in discriminating against the unemployed in one state over another.

Re. Fact Check: You may want to check your facts closer. If Blue Collar works in a union shop, part of his dues may go in an unemployment fund for fellow union members in the shop. Not exactly accessable to all, but it may be what he is referring to.

RON RON | 3:56 p.m. Sept. 25, 2009

I READ THAT STATES WITH LOWER THAN 8.5 % WILL ALSO GET AN EXTENSION FOR 13 WEEKS. STATES WITH HIGHER THAN 9% WILL BE RECEIVING 20 WEEKS. I HOPE IT DOES NOT TAKE ANOTHER 6 WEEKS TO RECEIVE CHECKS LIKE THE LAST GLICH DID.

Fact Check 2 | 10:57 a.m. Sept. 26, 2009

How much UI you are paid is determined by eligibilty laws passed by each and every state. Every year, the Utah Legislature and other state legislatures pass UI related bills. The Federal tax is called FUTA and the U.S. Dept. of Labor gives annual grants to states for the administration of UI. State taxes are called SUTA and each state taxes employers in order to pay for UI benefits. The weekly amount for each employee is determined by eligibility laws passed by the Utah Legislature. Yes, if you are fired for cause you typically don't get UI because the idea is to help people unemployed through no fault of their own. I know this program inside and out so be careful before you tell me I don't know what I'm talking about.

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