(AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Georgia Governor Nathan Deal signed a law, which will reduce the number of weeks unemployed citizens will be able to collect unemployment benefits, according to the Associated Press.
The law will begin Sunday, July 1, which will mean those who are without jobs will no longer receive up to 26 weeks of unemployment benefits, but will be replaced by a sliding scale of 14 to 20 weeks worth of compensation; this will depend on the unemployment rate during that period of time.
According to the Associated Press, supporters of this law said that it was an essential move because Georgia needs to pay back $760 million borrowed in recent years to cover the unemployment benefits after the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund was depleted during the recession that began in 2008.
Opponents of the law were upset because this would mean that Georgian’s out of work would have benefits cut nearly in half, which they deemed harmful to those still trying to bounce back, according to the Associated Press.
The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) shows the state as having an unemployment rate of nine percent compared to a national unemployment rate of 8.2 percent. The GDOL also reported 42,676 initial unemployment insurance claims.
For more information, visit www.dol.state.ga.us.
As Seen On Facebook Here's what Calhoun Times readers are saying about the cuts on Facebook. These views were taken exactly how it was written.
-Kristin Clary: i say “get a job”. I understand some people get laid off and get unemployment till they find another job BUT some people abuse the system.
-Jeannette Kitty Cochran: Some people also have worked for over 20-30 years and they should be able to receive there benefits for as long as they want. It’s there own money it isn’t anyone elses.
-Shane Swift: How bout starting in the capital and start slashing jobs there, or better yet how bout lets make all the elected officials and there offices work for minimum wage to decrease state spending!!!!!
-Mercade Williams: 14-20 weeks is still a long time to get paid to do nothing. lol. there are jobs out there, people just need to swallow their pride and not mind working a fast food or lesser paying job. Georgia shouldn’t have to go further in debt just to pay people who aren’t working and contributing to the society who is paying them to not work.
-Tammy Michaud It looks like those who are using their unemployment as a vacation from work had
better get to taking any job they can get! There are many that abuse the system and it negatively
affects those who truly need the full 26 weeks.
-Crystal Holloway: My mom worked 20 yrs for a company in dalton for it to go under and for her to
draw unemployment she out application in every where, then set and cried some days bc even the
fast food place let alone dollar store wouldn’t give her a job and her unemployment was running
out... Sure there is jobs out there but 99% want experience or they trash your application so if a
person has worked their whole life for 1 company its not easy to get just any job
Come on, people. Open your mind. Don't listen to Limbaugh, Coulter, or Franken. These people only serve to divide the country. Why? So they can sell books and get ratings.
And don't believe the talking points, either. There were no such things as death panels. Obama has not outspent every other President combined (96.1 trillions vs an estimated 31 trillion over 8 years). And any correlation at all to any President and the gas prices in their presidency is ludicrous.
Just do some research, people. From a non-biased, non-partisan source. You'll see they're all to blame, no matter the party, because they're all in it for themselves.
411- Morn is short for moron.
Thanks for watching FOX!!!
As far as benefits and jobs after 45 or so it is almost impossible to find anything other than security work that will hire you. It took me over a year to find something when I was out of work and that was with great references and a work history. I guess we throw those over 45 onto the garbage heap now, sounds right in Bush's America.