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Lawmakers in Frankfort are unveiling a bill overhauling our Unemployment Insurance system that would improve benefits and trust fund solvency. Follow along here: https://www.facebook.com/KYHouseDemocrats/videos/274924513974956
. @mckcantrell announces it will be HB 406 saying she was moved to file it because of the hundreds of calls she has gotten from constituents seeking claims.
This bill addresses a lot of issues that led us to this point.
This bill addresses a lot of issues that led us to this point.
We learned a lot of lessons from the Great Recession, but we failed to implement them when federal funding incentives were available, and before the tidal wave of claims that were filed in 2020.
This bill implements those lessons learned.
This bill implements those lessons learned.
. @jbaileyky is sharing now how HB 406 addresses the decades of neglect - specifically in ensuring that we don't have to borrow from the federal government and raise business taxes just as we start recovering from recessions - as has happened twice in the past 10 years now.
This funding mechanism is based on @USDOL best practices for UI Trust Fund solvency. It will mean we have adequate contributions when times are good so that we don't have to increase contributions when times are tough.
Next up is @RepNimaKulkarni - who is saying we left $90 million in federal funding on the table a decade ago when we could have made the changes that HB 406 seeks to make now.
She worked with @KCADVtweets last fall to allow fleeing domestic violence as a good cause for separation that allows victims to get UI. That measure (HB 78) has been rolled into HB 406, including training for UI workers to be able to identify and work with DV claimants.
. @RepNimaKulkarni also co-sponsored HB 240 with @lgwillner which allows the secretary of the Labor Cabinet to waive the requirement that UI claimants pay back over-paid claims when its not their fault. This was also included in HB 406.
. @RepNimaKulkarni also mentioning that 1) we have a 50 year old computer system for handling UI claims, and 2) we have far-too-few staff to adjudicate claims.
