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The Michigan Messenger going forward

By Staff Report | 11.16.11

I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]

Colorado-based abstinence program provided false and misleading information to Michigan students

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By Todd A. Heywood | 11.16.11

An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.

Class action lawsuit filed against MERS over unpaid taxes

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By Todd A. Heywood | 11.15.11

Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.

Schuette fights important mercury regulations

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By Eartha Jane Melzer | 11.14.11

Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.

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Michigan jobless could lose unemployment benefits early

By Ed Brayton | 03.16.11 | 5:21 pm

The National Employment Law Project said Wednesday that many jobless Michigan residents could lose their extended federal unemployment benefits soon unless the state legislature passes a bill allowing them to qualify for more.

In a press release the group said:

On April 2nd, an estimated 35,000 Michigan workers will face an abrupt end to their unemployment insurance. Due to the state legislature’s failure to enact a technical fix to Michigan’s unemployment insurance laws, people who have struggled unsuccessfully to find work the longest will lose as many as 20 weeks of federally funded unemployment benefits that would otherwise be available.

Michigan lawmakers can prevent benefits from lapsing if they act by March 24th, before they begin a two-week recess. Lawmakers could enact legislation after the break to restore the extended benefits retroactively, but the longer they wait to act, the longer workers will go without unemployment insurance…

Prior to December 2010, federal law permitted Extended Benefits in states where the unemployment rate for the three most recent months was at least 6.5 percent and 110 percent of the rate for the corresponding period in either or both of the two previous years. Most states on Extended Benefits will continue to meet the first requirement, but fail to meet the second condition. The problem is that unemployment has not remained this high for this long since the 1930s. Michigan is one of the first such states where unemployment far exceeds 6.5 percent but is lower than it was at the worst of the labor market downturn in 2009 and 2010.

In December, the federal government addressed this problem with legislation (P.L. 111-312) that enables a state to continue offering federally funded Extended Benefits as long as unemployment remains at or above 6.5 percent and is 110 percent of the rate for the comparable period three years ago, prior to when the labor market bottomed out. However, each state must enact conforming legislation to take advantage of the new federal rule. The Michigan legislature’s failure to do so is the only thing that stands in the way of unemployed workers being able to secure the benefits they, and the local economy, so desperately need—and that the federal government is underwriting.

Rep. Barb Byrum introduced an amendment to a bill that would have fixed this problem and allowed Michigan residents to access the full extended benefits allowed by law, but it was blocked by Republicans. Byrum issued a press release that said, “This is yet another slap in the face to our working families. In addition to trying to balance the budget on the backs of our families, House Republicans are now refusing to give our displaced workers the support they need to provide for their families until they get back on the job. This is about helping our displaced workers so that they don’t have to worry about choosing between buying food for their kids or paying their heating bills. If we do not act on this plan soon, tens of thousands of families will have an even heavier burden to shoulder in these tough times. Our residents deserve better.”

Comments

  • Anonymous

    Number one, there are just as many Republicans as Democrats out of work.
    These are unusual times, the unemployment extension for 99ers is essential.
    If we have money to send to other countries to help them out during a crises,
    then we have enough money to help our our own right here in the United States who cannot find a job. I really think it is time to think about what Jesus would do.
    I am so sick of the fighting between the 2 parties……I mean the Hannity program is getting to be almost vicious attacks against the democrats, and then Glen Beck……….not saying that the democrats don’t say bad things too, but enough is enough. Everyone on TV arguing about all of this have more money than they need., We just want enough money to pay a few bills and buy groceries.,…until we can find a job. Enough Already, the extension needs to be passed ASAP.
    I say everyone who by the way the people voted into office, needs to respect our votes for them and …….GROW UP!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Nancy-Cochran/1356458209 Nancy Cochran

    Soo, they’re going to send OUR money to Japan who took our jobs in the first place??? They say everyone wants to come to America for an opportunity, well they might be better off in their own country and we might be better off to move there too. America is in a depression and I don’t see it getting any better. If Obama would have give the American people all the money he used to bail out the banks, and the car factories, we wouldn’t have this problem. We could’ve bought a new car, which would’ve helped the car factories, and we could’ve paid off our houses instead of loosing them, which would’ve helped the banks. Then if we needed a new computer, roof, refridgerator, or whatever we could’ve helped keep all the Americans working, and everyone would’ve been happy, but instead he bailed out the people who are now taking our houses, and who in our prediument can afford a new car? ANNND who would finance us who don’t have jobs? Way to go Obama!!! Now go and send some more money to all the other countries, and see who helps us!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Anonymous

    i just today got a notice in the mail that i will be cut off on april 2. this is devastating. it’s not a matter of if i will be homeless, but when. i lost my job after 17 years with the same company through no fault of my own when it closed. next i lost my house, savings, medical coverage, my dignity, my sense of self-worth. my family disowned me because i was a source of embarrassment being jobless and non-productive in society. at 48, i am either too qualified or underqualified in an economy that isn’t hiring. i can’t even get a callback from a fast-food establishment. i’m not looking for a handout, but a lifeline to get back on track and avoid being destitute and homeless. it’s not looking good. please pray for us americans who are sinking into despair, poverty and homelessness.

    • Anonymous

      I also have lost a home and many family don’t return calls.
      If they cut this time for sure, I will loose the house we call home and not only myself but my 2 kids & 2 grandbabies will have no roof over their heads.
      My husband has become disabled during the past year. Social Sec said it may be 1-2 years before we get a decision on his benefits. In the meantime there is no money, no health insurance for him to get the medical treatments the Docs say he needs…. Anyone know if there are TENT Cities set up yet? I can only hope one is close, my family & I will probably be walking as there is no funds for gas.

  • Anonymous

    i just today got a notice in the mail that i will be cut off on april 2. this is devastating. it’s not a matter of if i will be homeless, but when. i lost my job after 17 years with the same company through no fault of my own when it closed. next i lost my house, savings, medical coverage, my dignity, my sense of self-worth. my family disowned me because i was a source of embarrassment being jobless and non-productive in society. at 48, i am either too qualified or underqualified in an economy that isn’t hiring. i can’t even get a callback from a fast-food establishment. i’m not looking for a handout, but a lifeline to get back on track and avoid being destitute and homeless. it’s not looking good. please pray for us americans who are sinking into despair, poverty and homelessness.

  • Anonymous

    After 15 years on the job, I had to lose my job because the rich had to get richer! I didn’t cause this mess! A few months after my layoff, I started at Baker College to try to improve my chances of finding a better job and at fifty-nine years old that is not easy. The “No worker Left Behind” program is not paying for my retraining, I went and obtained student loans myself. I am trying to help myself and not burden others. Why do lawmakers always stand in the way! I just don’t understand. Without an unemployment check, they just cut the legs right out from under me. We vote these people in to help the little guy and all they do is make it harder on us. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

  • Everhopefull

    I am sorry and shocked that we need to have conversation in regards to the federally approved emergency unemployment benefit extension that so many Michigan citizens’ are going to lose. I feel all the hard work our congressional representatives have done was in vein, just for the Michigan Legislators to go and fumble the preverbal ball and let these benefits drop, especially when they can prevent such action. I am very angry and upset and have absolutely no problem voting these people out of office. I must say I find it very profound that we can rush to the aid others around the world but when the need is in our own back yard, we have to debate, to determine if the residents of Michigan should be allowed to receive the already approved Federal Emergency Unemployment benefits. I find this very mind boggling for a state that has the fifth highest unemployment rate of 10.7 in the nation. Honestly, what is there to debate about? Who has the right to determine on which families can pay their bill and feed their family and which families cannot have the same right. I am very very disappointed in our elected state officials, especially after all the work our congressional representatives have done to get these federal funds approved, now to only be cut off do to the current state legislators’ negligence. Just because the Michigan legislature chooses to be negligent in their duties and lets the federally funded emergency unemployment benefits drop does not mean they are saving anyone any money in the state. The unemployed families who depend on these benefits to make ends meet will be forced to look for and apply elsewhere for assistance, such as already overtaxed state funded agencies, so in essence there is no savings to the state and/or the residences of Michigan. All this is, is a slide of hand in which many are hoping no one is the wiser to the poor decision our legislatures are choosing to make. Now why anyone would choose to turn down Federal funding so the burden has to be pickup by an already overburden and overtaxed Michigan funded state agencies is beyond my level of understanding.

    From the soon to be starving residents of Michigan, please make the fix that is needed so we can continue to feed our families while we look for work. With no money coming in we cannot spend and make the Michigan econ0my stronger.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Leslie-Slack/100000908043677 Leslie Slack

    Single mother of 2 that lost my job when my employer filled bankruptcy. They say the unemployment rate is better but what they don’t say is that the only jobs that have increased are the part-time, minimum wage jobs; not jobs that will support a family.

  • Everhopefull

    On the Michigan.gov/UIA web site there is a letter explaining that the criteria of the law needs to be changed by the Michigan Legislators to continue this 100% Federally Funded Unemployment Benefits program. If the criteria fix is not put in place (ASAP), than there will be an additional cost for the state’s employers will have to pay 50% of any new claims at the phase-out period. The federal government would pay 50% and the state (employers) would pay 50%. If the states legislators choose to fix the law to extend the benefits than the 50%, employer cost would be eliminated. However, if the Michigan legislators fail to extend The Extended Benefits not only would 150,000 families lose the benefits needed to survive while looking for work, but all the employers in the state will carry the additional 50% of the cost of phasing out this program. Such a raise in cost for employers cripples their opportunity to hire more employees and put the unemployed workers back to work. Talk about shooting oneself in the foot. Everyone needs to call their state representative and tell them to make the fix, so many of the jobless workers can continue to feed their families and not to add additional cost to Michigan employers.

    Please let your voice be heard!

Categories & Tags: Budget| Unemployment| | |