Another $200 a week for California’s jobless? $500? Maybe, say Republicans
Republicans are eyeing plans to add at least $200 and as much as $500 to weekly unemployment benefits for the millions of California workers without jobs in the coronavirus outbreak.
Their proposals would boost the average weekly state benefit, now an estimated $347, to anywhere between $547 and $847, according to analyses by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and The Sacramento Bee.
Democrats want to be more generous and keep until January the $600 supplement unemployed workers received from the federal government from late March until late last month, when the benefit adopted in a COVID-19 relief law expired.
President Donald Trump has not endorsed any specific plan, but has said he wants to continue some supplemental payment.
Asked by McClatchy if he would want a specific amount or a percentage of wages to replace the $600, Trump would not say.
“We are looking at it. We’re also looking at various other things that I’m allowed to do under the system,” he said.
He blamed Democrats for the impasse. “They seem to be much more interested in solving the problems of some of the Democrat-run states and cities that have suffered greatly through bad management,” Trump said.
On Capitol Hill this week, GOP senators are discussing plans that would:
▪ Give states a choice. Under a proposal from Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Mike Braun, R-Ind., a state could either add $200 or two-thirds of lost wages to regular unemployment benefits. Maximum added benefit would be an $500 unemployment checks per week.
Estimated average weekly California impact of two-thirds: An extra $329.
▪ Give states a different choice. Another plan, introduced Wednesday, would allow states to either pay 80% of lost wages or a flat amount of $400 or 500 per week in August (it’s up to each state), $400 next month and $300 or a sum pegged to 80% of prior earnings from October through December. Its backers include two senators facing tough reelections, Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine and Martha McSally, R-Ariz., as well as Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah.
Estimated average weekly California impact this month: An extra $400 or $500.
▪ Give states time to implement a “lost wage” plan. This proposal, offered by Senate Republican leaders, would provide $200 a week for up to 60 days, while states installed a system that replaced 70% of wages up to a certain amount.
Estimated California weekly impact of 70%: An extra $363, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce analysis.
▪ Give unemployed workers another $500 a week in August and September. This plan, authored by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., would adjust that payment slightly in October so it would cover 100% of pre-pandemic wages but no more than $500 weekly.
Estimated California weekly impact in August and September: An extra $500.
Largely gone is the view among many Republicans that extra benefits too often discouraged people from seeking employment.
“No fair minded person wants to provide unemployment benefits that are greater than one’s previous salary,” said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La.
But he objected to “no unemployment benefits ...that’s unfair. We’re going to have people who don’t have jobs to go back to.”
White House negotiators reportedly floated the idea of having a $400 weekly benefit.
A flat payment amount would help ease a problem many states could face by trying to implement a new benefit system. In California, Employment Development Director Sharon Hilliard estimated last week it could take as long as 20 weeks to put a new system that involved a percentage of wages into effect.
EDD spokeswoman Loree Levy told The Bee it would probably take only three weeks to implement a system that provides a flat weekly payment.
Many Republicans see some ability to find a compromise with Democrats ahead, which would mean people would wind up with more than $200 a week.
“Settle the difference at $300 and let’s get on down the road and get this thing done,” said Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kansas..
.jpg)