Governor Beshear just vetoed HB 4, which if overridden will cut the duration of unemployment benefits for job seekers from 26 weeks to as short as 6 weeks by creating extremely restrictive hoops for jobless claimants after that window, HB 4 forces these Kentuckians into jobs that don’t fit their skills or family budget needs. HB 4 makes Kentucky’s unemployment benefits last half as long as even the stingiest of states. And the bill will force Kentuckians into low wage positions after just 6 weeks, despite the fact UI was designed to give people time to find a match that tracks their skills and family budget. |
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Research shows economic stress can exacerbate domestic violence. Taking months of UI support from families and worsening economic stress puts Kentucky children in a context of increased risk. Income loss and fear of income loss take a huge toll on people’s mental health, and downturns are associated with an increase in suicide rates. Research suggests that generous unemployment benefit policies offset the impact of high unemployment rates on suicide. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4070935/ Unemployment benefits and other aspects of the safety net helps people pay the bills AND maintain mental and emotional wellbeing through challenging times. Research shows cutting off UI doesn’t fix the economy. It doesn’t increase workforce participation. It doesn’t reduce the rate of unfilled jobs. It doesn’t accelerate job growth. But taking money out of family budgets hurts them and decreases demand in our economy. New research finds that more generous unemployment benefits are linked to fewer opioid overdose deaths. UI saves lives. UI is a stop-gap for people who find themselves in a bad way. It’s a way to help keep a roof over their heads, have reliable transportation to job interviews, and provide basic groceries for their families while they look for work. And often, it’s still not enough to do even that. |