|
Important Message to Iowa Activists
Your Senator, Chuck Grassley, is the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee and that committee will be considering the economic recovery package this Tuesday. Please call his offices and log in your support for the Unemployment Insurance Modernization provisions in the recovery package. You can reach his D.C. office at 202-224-3744, any of his state offices or the Senate Finance Committee at 202-224-4515. Tell the staffer who answers the phone that you are an Iowan and you want the Senator to support the unemployment insurance modernization provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Action Needed:
Because the committee will be voting on the package tomorrow (Tuesday Jan. 27), we need you to please pick up the phone and make the call now. If it's after business hours, you can still leave a voice mail message -- be sure to give your address so they'll know you really live in Iowa!
You won't need to offer an explanation, just state your request that the Senator support the unemployment provision. If you want to give details, there is more information below about why this is so important to women, who have been disproportionately excluded from an unemployment insurance system that was designed around an old model of employment.
Thank you for taking action NOW by calling 202-224-3744!
Background:
On Tuesday, the Senate Finance Committee will debate the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a key part of President Obama's plan to boost the economy through federal investments and tax cuts. The bill includes important unemployment insurance provisions that will help women workers hit especially hard by the downturn. These measures will provide immediate assistance to workers who need help, and also boost local economies, because of the dollars that beneficiaries will spend.
The Unemployment Insurance Modernization Act in the bill provides $7 billion to fund grants to reward states that update their unemployment insurance programs to cover more unemployed workers. Today, only 37% of unemployed workers get benefits, primarily because outdated rules followed by many states, including Iowa, use methods to determine eligibility that haven't kept up with changes in the workplace. Women and low-income workers are hurt most by these outdated rules.
The Unemployment Insurance Modernization Act would reward states for adopting three specific changes that are especially crucial for women:
First, it would reward states that agree to consider workers' most recent work histories in determining whether the workers meet certain earnings tests to qualify for benefits. This change is critical for covering low-wage workers, and because women are in lower paid jobs than men, the change is particularly important to women.
Second, many states provide unemployment benefits only to jobless workers who are looking for full-time work. Since women are far more likely than men to work part time, this rule denies coverage to many women. The modernization act would reward states that allow workers to collect some benefits even if they are only able to look for part-time jobs.
Third, the modernization act would reward states that provide unemployment benefits to workers who must leave their jobs for compelling family reasons, such as caring for ill or disabled family members, relocating with a spouse whose job has moved to another area, or escaping domestic violence in which the abuser follows the woman to her workplace. Under the UI modernization act, quitting a job for these reasons would be considered a "good cause" quit that would qualify the worker for unemployment benefits. Women are far more likely than men to leave their jobs for these reasons.
If the modernization provision passes, Iowa would be eligible to receive $72 million in incentive grants when it makes the appropriate changes in its state program, and would be automatically eligible for $5 million in funds to administer its UI program. The incentive grants would pay for Iowa's added benefits for at least 5 years and probably more, helping countless Iowa women and families affected by the economic collapse.
Please take a minute now to pick up the phone and make the call to 202-224-3744. It could make all the difference. Thank you!
|
Support NOW by shopping the NOW Store!
for NOW staff picks and all amazon.com items
RSS | Links | Home 
Abortion and Reproductive Rights
Economic Justice
Ending Sex Discrimination
Lesbian Rights
Promoting Diversity & Ending Racism
Stopping Violence Against Women
