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MAIN
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A Joint Project of the Maine
Association of Interdependent Neighborhoods |
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Volume 9 No. 2 |
August 2005 |
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MAIN
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A Joint Project of the Maine
Association of Interdependent Neighborhoods |
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Volume 9 No. 2 |
August 2005 |
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Part-time Workers Will Continue to Have Access
to Unemployment Benefits when Needed—
and Possibly Help with Education and Training Too!Two years ago the legislature finally passed a law giving part-time workers the right to collect unemployment benefits. It gave anyone with a history of part-time work or the responsibility to care for an ill family member the right to collect unemployment benefits when they lost their job even if they were only looking for part-time work. This law was scheduled to “sunset” (end) this September unless the legislature voted to keep it in place.
The good news is that they did vote to keep the law in place. Part-time workers will continue to be eligible for unemployment benefits. But another “sunset” was put in the new law requiring the legislature to act again to continue it before September 30, 2008. The reason for this new time limit was to give lawmakers more time to monitor the cost of this benefit. It is expected that more than 2,000 unemployed part-time workers will be helped by this law in 2005 at a cost of just over $2 million dollars. The cost is expected to increase to over $3 million next year as more part-time workers learn about this coverage.
MAIN member Veronica testified at the public hearing about her need to work part-time due to her son’s disability and his frequent medical appointments. She pointed out to legislators that working at the Maine Parent Federation she often meets other parents like herself who are restricted to part-time employment due to the needs of their families. Offering these workers access to unemployment benefits should they lose their job is not only the right thing to do but it strengthens families.
Crystal from northern Maine was another MAIN member that helped pass the original law and she helped again this year to keep it in place. When her husband became suddenly disabled in the late 1990s, she had to leave her job to care for him. She tried to go back to work full-time as soon as possible but quickly discovered that her husband’s needs were too great and she could only work part-time. Though her employer had paid into the unemployment system on her behalf, because she was not able and available for full time work, she was unable to collect unemployment benefits. She and her husband ended up losing their home and going through some very difficult times. Thanks to help from Crystal and Veronica, as well as the many MAIN members who called their legislators, and others, including the Maine Women’s Lobby, and the Maine AFL-CIO, unemployed workers in these situations will now be able to get help!
There is another important part to this new law. Toward the end of the legislative session an amendment was added requiring the Department of Labor to establish a pilot program to offer education and training services (and support services like child care and transportation necessary to participate) to unemployed part-time workers receiving unemployment benefits. While there will be limited funds for this program, it will give valuable help to some. If you are a part-time worker collecting unemployment benefits, check with your local Career Center to see if education or training services are available to you.
If you have questions about unemployment benefits for part-time workers, please call Crystal Bond at Maine Equal Justice—1-866-626-7059, extension 205.
