MORGANTOWN — The state Senate advanced its unemployment benefits bill — decreasing the number of weeks and establishing job-search criteria — to the House on Monday.
Three Republicans joined two Democrats to vote against SB 59.
Current law allows workers to collect unemployment benefits for a maximum 26 weeks. SB 59 reduces the duration and indexes it to the state unemployment rate.
The bill sets a maximum duration of 12 weeks if the state unemployment rate for the prior quarter is below 5.5%, which is considered full employment, committee counsel explained. For each half-percent increase above 5.5%, an extra week is added until the rate reaches 9%. Then benefits are capped at 20 weeks.
Current law requires a person to seek work but sets no criteria for what that means, counsel said. The bill requires an applicant to actively seek work with at least four work searches — defined in the bill — per week. Workers must provide proof of work searches.
WorkForce West Virginia will share open positions submitted to or posted by the Division of Personnel and refer workers to suitable positions. Workers must apply for those suitable positions and risk having benefits withheld if they fail to appear for an interview.
Sen. Mike Caputo, D-Marion, opposed the bill. “I certainly support any efforts to get rid of fraudulent claims within our system,” he began. Those should be dealt with quickly and prosecuted.
But as a former coal miner, he said, he knows what it’s like to survive on unemployment benefits. People want to work, but sometimes work is not available.
“Things get tough,” he said. “Sometimes things get extremely tough.”
Caputo said he supports the corporate incentives the Legislature has approved over the years because they bring jobs to the state. But, “when it comes to workers it seems like it’s a constant beat-down.”
Sen. Charles Clements, R-Wetzel, noted that nothing in the bill forbids legislators from coming back and lengthening the term if needed. But Caputo countered that there’s nothing in the bill to specifically keep that door open.
Government Organization chair Jack Woodrum, R-Summers, supported the bill, which came to the floor through his committee.
Variations of the bill work successfully in other states, he said, and most unemployment benefit claims fall under the 12-week minimum. “I believe it will work successfully in West Virginia.”
The vote was 27-5. Democrat Mike Woelfel, Cabell, joined Caputo against it. Democrat Robert Plymale, Wayne, voted yes. The three GOP votes against came from Bill Hamilton, Upshur, Glenn Jeffries, Putnam, and David Stover, Wyoming.
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