Poll: Should Unemployment Benefits Require Community Service?
Workers and companies pay into unemployment insurance. Georgia lawmakers want to attach a volunteer clause to benefits, but doesn't that perpetuate the stigma that unemployment benefits are welfare?
Dubbed the "Dignity for the Unemployed Act," the bill proposed by Georgia lawmakers would force applicants for state unemployment benefits to perform at least 24 hours of volunteer service a week at a nonprofit charitable organization, reports the AJC. The mandate would kick in after the first two weeks of eligibility. The commissioner of the state Labor Department could waive the requirement in cases of hardship. According to the AJC, State Sen. John Albers, R-Roswell, has signed on as the bill's chief sponsor, with support from others including Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers, R-Woodstock. Here’s a link to the prefiled legislation for the General Assembly session starting in mid-January. One of the big stigmas of unemployment benefits…
Julia Harris
8:06 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011
Well said, P1! more ›