The House of Delegates is poised to pass a bill that would make major changes to unemployment benefits in West Virginia.
Delegates combined two bills that already passed the other chamber, Senate Bill 2 and Senate Bill 3. If delegates pass the combined bill on Friday, then it would still need to go back to the Senate to concur or reject the changes.
As originally conceived, Senate Bill 2 would limit the eligibility period for benefits to 12 weeks if the unemployment rate is below 5.5 percent. Delegates changed that period to 14 weeks.
The rate would go up an additional week for each half-percent the unemployment rate goes up. The version that passed the Senate allowed up to 20 weeks. The House version is up to 22 weeks if the state’s unemployment rate is above 9 percent.
Right now, the maximum in West Virginia is about 26 weeks.
In discussion on the House floor on Thursday, Delegate Daniel Linville made note of the differences. “So the amendment is more generous than the existing, underlying bill, is that correct?” he asked.
The bill also would require four specific job search activities a week for people receiving unemployment benefits. Examples include registering with job placement offices, completing applications for employers “reasonably expected to have job openings,” participating in job fairs or taking a civil service exam.
People who fail to provide an accounting of the work search activities could be ruled ineligible for benefits.
That bill also has a measure that would allow people to work a part time job, up to 30 hours a week, while receiving full unemployment — a provision meant to help people continue looking for full-time work.
Delegates have added a provision allowing unemployment benefits when people claiming religious or medical exemptions lose their jobs because of a vaccination requirement. That kind of provision was considered in the Senate Judiciary Committee, but it was kept out — apparently over concerns that it might endanger the bill’s final passage.
Delegates on Thursday debated the changes proposed in that chamber. Delegate Phil Diserio, D-Brooke, said the bill seems to be a response to the more generous unemployment benefits that were offered
“I know very few, very few, who sit around and plan on making a living on unemployment,” Diserio said.
Delegate Kayla Young, D-Kanawha, asked House Finance Chairman Eric Householder a series of questions aimed at drawing a distinction with the current unemployment rate, which is historically low.
“OK, so what’s our current unemployment rate right now?” she asked.
Householder: “Less than 4 percent. I believe it’s around 3.5.”
Young: “That’s great news. So if this amendment passes and then the bill passes, it’s immediately going to get cut to 14 weeks instead of 26?”
Householder: “Gentlelady is correct. Fourteen weeks.”
Young: “So we’re gonna cut it almost in half. OK, and you said this is a state index and not a county index, right? Because it’s my understanding that unemployment varies greatly by county.”
Householder: “Gentlelady is correct, it’s a state index.”
Young: “OK. So if you’re in a county that has exceptionally high unemployment but other areas of the state have really low unemployment, we don’t care. It’s just state numbers.”
Householder: “Well, we do know that the statewide average time spent on unemployment for fiscal year 2021 fourth quarter was six weeks. The statewide average for 2021 overall was 9.5 weeks.”
Young: “OK. Makes it sound like we don’t have a problem at all.”
Young concluded, “I think the amendment’s bad. I think the bill’s worse. I’m a no. If our unemployment is so low, I can’t imagine why we possibly need this.”
On MetroNews’ “Talkline,” Senate President Craig Blair spoke in favor of the bill. He said the policy would result in lower unemployment insurance rates for employers, giving them cushion to take on more workers.
“The fact is, this is an economic development tool more than anything,” he said. “We’re not trying to hurt the workers in West Virginia. What we’re trying to do is give them more employment opportunities.”
Blair concluded, “If this passes, it’s not going to hurt the workers. Instead of worrying about giving checks to the people who are unemployed, what we’re worried about is having greater job opportunities in this state for the unemployed.”
Listen to “Talkline for Thursday, March 10, 2022” on Spreaker.