The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-02-01
||pLOYERS
10 PROVIDE
INSURANCE
Iabcr Backs Wisconsin
I'M 70 Have Benefits
Paid Unemployed.

y11adison, Wis, Feb. LA bill TO
nn,sl employers to pay unem-
,leymeut insurance benefits to
~ workers, when unemployed.
~ introduced in the Wisconsin
heislature today, backed by the
inerican Federation Of Labor.
Fhs measure was prepared by
noleesor John r. Commons Of
~ department of economics at the
University of Wisconsin, and .
ND labor economist, with the as
ietsnce Of six students, whose
naduation thesis 1t il to be.
II would require employers to
firm mutual insurance companies
nd pay benefits to the workers
lley discharge at the rate of $3.50
! day for adult men and women
I'd rs cents a day for boys and
drls between the ages Of Is and
il years.
Ehs unemployed. providing they
id worked at lelst rs weeks,
vould be entitled to benefits for
. maximum period Of thirteen
weeks on the basis Of one week
iut every four weeks OF work.
Workers idle as q result of q
strike or lockout are not entitled to
beaents and farm laborers, individ-
Sals receiving pensions OF more
than $500 annually, persons whose
annual income exceeds 81 500 and
ildividuals mainly dependent for
ihsir livelihood on some other per-
III also are exempt.
State free employment Offices, al
ssdy established, would adminis-
" the act in each locality. and
vvuM seek work for the unem-
Jlsysa. It 4 proyided,, however,
that IN idle WORKER need not ac-
ok work at q lower rate OF pay
xhsfe working conditions are less
flvorable than IN the place OF last
employment, or where q vacancy
has been created by a strike or
lockout.
II an unemployed worker finds
or Is offered suitable work in an
other district his last employer Is
given his choice Of either paying
the railroad fare to the new JOB
or continuing to pay the insurance
benefits.
Explaining his bill. Professor
Commons recently told the local
Rotary club that fear Of unemploy-
nent was the moving impulse be-
lind most labor dihculties and was
Ssponsible for q tendency to pro-
leng each task in order that the
work might be drawn to the maxi
mum period. Remove that fear. he
nid, and labor difficulties would De
reduced and production speeded up.
While this bill is designed pr
narily as an insurance measure,
~ real effect, he declared, would
y to force employers to SO adjust
neir work as to eliminate slack
periods and depression to escape
The burden Of insurance benefits.
Given Broad Powers.
Under the bill. the state indus
fial commission is given broad
powers to determine when benefits
shall be paid and to readjust wages
and employment conditions to meet
With changing living costs and 9TH
er factors.
Each worker affected would be
equipped with q service card
which would show the period he
aad worked in each position held,
md indicate the benefits to which
ae would be entitled. To prevent
uading. sale or pawning Of the
0fds the act provides a fms OF
Noo and 80 days imprisonment for
10Th buyer and seller.
employers are prohibited from
oeoucting or soliciting returns to
meet the cost Of insurance and
written waivers of benefit rights
Ge declared invalid. The insur-
sace benefits, 1t is provided. shall
aot be assignable, subject to at
.Acnment, or liable in any way fol
employees debts. When an EN-.
paoye loses his job through his
owh fault or voluntarily quits, hi:
Insurance is to be withheld for si1
eeks. Inmates Of prisons or worh
houses are excluded from partic'