The House today passed part of Governor Gregoire’s priority legislation, a $300 million tax break for state businesses and added benefit and training opportunities for laid-off workers.“With an Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund of $2.5 billion, it became very clear that we needed to do something that benefits the businesses that have paid into it, and the workers who are unemployed,” said Rep. Mike Sells who Chairs the Labor and Workforce Development Committee and sponsored HB 1091. “We’re One Washington, we’re working together and we’re going to do what we can in this House to move this economy forward.”
The key components of the legislation:
- The bill caps unemployment insurance rates for 90% of employers, especially small businesses that haven’t experienced any layoffs, keeping the rates at 2010 levels. This reduction could mean hundreds less in taxes per employee in 2011.
- For those struggling to find work, the bill makes training programs more accessible, allowing more workers to learn new skills and build better resumes for their job search in high-demand fields.
- With some adjustment to the formula for calculating claims, Washington’s unemployed workers will qualify for the extended benefits passed by the majority Democrats in Congress during the lame-duck session in December.
- Workers who are laid off for the rest of 2011 will receive a $25 bump in their weekly benefits.
“Every $1.00 paid in unemployment benefits returns $1.64 to the local community,” said Sells. “So this will strengthen local economies and increase activity for businesses in every community in the state.”
