Meeting Public Comments

Tom Chapman [Iowa Catholic Conference]

The Iowa Catholic Conference is registered undecided on SSB 3093 because were not involved with the tort issue. We are looking at the unemployment insurance section of the bill from the employer side, as we run the unemployment insurance program for Catholic school teachers, while also looking out for the interests of workers.As you know, the purpose of the unemployment insurance system is to help people who have been laid off through no fault of their own. These are benefits earned through work. We should be very cautious about changing the unemployment insurance system in ways that could harm vulnerable families. As the bishops say it, The economy must serve people, not the other way around." From our perspective you should reconsider the extensive list of definitions for misconduct starting on Page 3, line 11. Willful misconduct is well defined by current practice and we believe these changes, while not all unobjectionable, will create new disputes between employees and employers in the unemployment insurance system.The ICC is opposed to reducing the calculations for maximum benefits down from 26 weeks, in addition to being required to taking lowerpaying jobs sooner. Iowas unemployment rate is already dropping and the number of working Iowans is increasing is this provision needed? We also believe there would be some unintended consequences where workers would find it necessary to leave their current profession for a lower paying job by stepping down the payment for what would be considered suitable work.We oppose the addition of a oneweek waiting period for benefits. We realize that people would qualify for the same maximum period of benefits, but getting benefits right away is important. Thank you for your consideration.