The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1936-12-01
COMPENSATION Act
Not Satisfactory
Continued from Page ID

the stand that If unemployment
compensation is desirable the state
should have statute Of Its own, re-
gardless OF the U. 8. supreme court
action on the federal legislation.
The bill adopted yesterday and
signed early last evening by Gov
ernor Cross provides, In part, that
II the federal social security act Is
declared unconstitutional the Con-
necticut act will automatically be-
come void.
According to Senator Blackall 1t
Is likely that 1t will require be-
tween 200 and $50 persons to ad-
minister the unemployment compen-
sation department in Connecticut.
The cost per year of the new state
department will be about $500. 900. he
pointed out, In urging a temporary
appropriation Of $4,000 with which
to get the staff organized.
Compensation Commissioners
Governor Cross has all Of the pres
ent month in which to name the
unemployment compensation COM
missioners who will handle the dis
pensing of benefits. There will be
one commissioner for each congress
sional district. This means that the
fifth district will have a commis-
sioner. Representative Thoms, who
was a member Of the special COM
mittee which drew up theact adopt
ed yesterday, stated that he had not
heard anybody mentioned so far for
the fifth district post.
There will also be an advisory
council Of SIX, named by the gov
eminent, two members represent
ing employers, two the employees and
two the general public. This council
will formulate the general policies
OF the unemployment compensation
system In Connecticut. An examiner
will first pass upon the claim Of any
one seeking benefits. An appeal
from the examiners finding will be
made to the unemployment COM
mission.
The appeal from there would be
to the superior court and then, If
necessary, to the supreme court.
Labor Commissioner Joseph M. Tone
will have charge Of making regu-
lations TO carry out the act and the
governor will name a committee Of
three TO apply the merit system Of
appointments to the unemployment
compensation department.
Into Special Fund
Money collected in the state, all
contributed by the employers, will
go into a special unemployment
compensation fund and will, In due
time, go to Washington. d. c., to
be held by the secretary Of the treas
ury as trustee under the federal So
cial security act. The treasurer OF
the state OF Connecticut will draw
on this fund as the occasion re-
quires.
Senator Blackall estimates that by
the end OF next year $l2,000,O00 will
have been collected In Connecticut
for the unemployment compensa-
ton fund. He explained that
while domestic and agricultural
employees are not included in the
benefits under the act passed they
may be included later. He stressed
the fact that the Connecticut act Is
an experimental one and will be sub
ject to changes from time to time.
He also declared that tn efact that
only employers will contribute to
the fund does not add to their bur-
den. They will be allowed the diff
ference between their Connecticut
contribution and that they would Or
dinarily have to make to the federal
government towards the social Sc
curity fund.
Money TO Be Returned
Should the federal act be declared
unconstitutional the money sent In
from Connecticut will be returned.
Senator Blackall also pointed out,
and 1t will be given back to the
contributors. The cost Of admins
tering the unemployment compen-
saticn department will be borne by
the government so the $4,000
emergency appropriation set up yes
terday by the legislature will be re-
paid In due time to the state by the
federal government.