Bill Proposed In Jeff City Could Change Unemployment Benefit Lengths

A proposed bill would have an effect on the length of time people could claim unemployment benefits.

If passed, it means that it would be tied to the state’s unemployment rate.

A general hearing on the bill was held on Wednesday.

Republican Mike Bernskoetter says that business owners are having a tough time finding employees.

Former Senator Jacob Hummel has a different take. He says people struggle, sometimes for months to find a job.

He says that companies take a long time between the interview process and actual hiring. Hummel expressed concern about the overall effect this has on families.

And he worries that, if passed, this could cause more workers to simply leave the state.

Under the current system, unemployed workers can claim benefits for as long as twenty weeks.

Under the proposed new law, depending on the state’s unemployment rate, those benefits could max out at eight weeks.