Rep Rodney Lyons (D) Harvey
A bill to increase the unemployment weekly benefit by $28 beginning in 2022 fails in the House. The bill came under bipartisan assault especially after a hiring bonus was added. Bill author Harvey Democrat Representative Rodney Lyons said the original intent was to increase the weekly amount, an initiative that began before the pandemic.
“As we do know that at $247 a week, we’re at the bottom as far as what we pay in unemployment benefits,” said Lyons.
A hiring bonus of up to $1,000 was added to the bill to entice those on unemployment to return to work, Bossier City Republican Representative Raymond Crews was one of the lawmakers that submitted the bonus amendment.
“And I hope we can restore that balance where people see the dignity in getting a job and earning a living and actually contributing to the economy and so I hope this helps,” said Crews.
But Lyons said accepting the bonus came with a caveat of forfeiting unemployment for six months even if you lose your job again.
While some lawmakers liked the idea of giving of providing a hiring bonus, other legislators didn’t like raising the state’s maximum weekly unemployment benefits. Prior to the pandemic, out-of-work individuals had to provide evidence they were seeking a job in order to receive unemployment.
Pineville Representative Mike Johnson believes that’s the best way to encourage jobless individuals back to work.
“The law says that you will be disqualified for benefits if you do not have a good reason why you do not apply for available suitable work and accept the suitable work when offered, why don’t we do that as an incentive,” said Johnson.
44 lawmakers approved the bill, while 54 opposed it.
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