The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1939-02-23
Bill To Amend Unem-
ployment Act Advanced
Proposal to Extempt Smaller
Firms from State JObless Pay
ments Recommended by Leg.

Efforts to modify the state un-
employment compensation act so
as TO relieve the smaller employers
from the payments required py
the act are meeting with support
in both houses or the legislature,
according to developments in st.
raul this week.
The senate committee on labor
has recommended tor passage a
bill wnicn viii eliminate lndlVl-
duals and firms employing less
than eight persons from provisions
OF the act. lne house committee,
on civil administration, considering
a similar proposal, declined to go
quite as lar, put reported out with
a favorable recommendation a bill
when would eliminate employers
of less than tive persons from pro-
visions OF the act.
The present state act requires
payments from employers OF one
OF more persons in the various
groups covered by the act. Spon-
sors OF the proposed amendments
now penang claim that this places
an undue and unnecessary burden
upon the small employers and
argue that the state act should De
changed 10 conform TO the federal
law, wnICn applles only to employ
ers OF eight or more persons.
"Ihe demand Tor modification
of TINS act Is widespread, partlcu-
larly in the rural sections or the
state" Senator d. ID. Murphy, one
OF the sponsors of the amend
ments, SAID. I'VE are also receiving
mucn support from the smaller
business men and professional men
in the cities. Sentiment in the leg
islature is strong for a change,
and some modification OF the
coverage seems very likely to
pass"
The legislature made some pro-
gress during the week In Shaping
up MAJOR legislation, but few OF
the bills reached final passage.
One bill OF widespread interest
went through the setate when the
upper house passed a bill introduce
ed by Senator r. J. Miller reduc>
ing the nonresident fishing licen-
sc from 81 to So.
The bills also contained a pro-
vision which Will allow a husband
and vile TO get a NONRESIDENT
combination license for $500. he
sort areas have complained bitter
~ since the nonresident fishing
license was increased from So to
81 two years ago, contending that
it has decreased tourist travel to
Minnesota substantially. Governor
Stassen has recommended restora-
ton of the SO license. The house
has not acted on the bill yet.
Considerable progress has been
made on the civil service bill for
state employees, but agreement
has not been reached on all points.
Substantial majorities in both
houses seem committed to civil
service law but all are not agreed
on the disposition to be made OF
present employees.
Governor Stassen in his inaug-
ural message asked that present
employees as well as those here
after to be added be required to
take a competitive examination to
determine their merit. Various
proposals to blanket in" part or
all of the present employees, with
out examination, are being made.
One proposal, advanced by the
house civil administration commit
tee, would blanket in" employees
automatically who have served the
state four and one-half years, but
provide a probationary period of
six months in which they might be
hi hn dam t.fI ont head