The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-11-30
Benefits Based On
"FuII-Time" Week
Asked BY Lobor
Administrator Of BUG Con.
demns Vitol Principles Of
Law Without Triul
(By Ohio Labor News Service)


Columbus, O.-An attack on vital
provisions Of the Ohio unemployment
compensation law and rule establish
ing the benefit formula for the pay
ment Of out-of of-work benefits, made
by H. c.. Atkinson, Administrator Of
the Ohio Bureau of Unemployment
Compensation in a speech before the
Ohio Chamber of Commerce conven-
ton in Cleveland November II, drew
increasing criticism from organized
labor throughout the state last week.
Although admitting to the conven-
ton Of employer representatives that
benefit payments in Ohio were too
low, the BUG head, whose chief duty
is the administration of the Ohio un-
employment compensation law attach
ed the most vital principles of that
law by declaring the benefit payment
section and a formula established m-
der that section "highly controversial
and completely unsatisfactory"
His statements, considered cum
ethical" by organized labor leaders in
the face of court decision upholding
the provision of the Ohio law that re-
quires payment of benefits based on
what the worker would earn if en-
ployed full-time, supports labor's con
tention that benefit payments have not
been made by the Ohio Bureau of Un-
employment Compensation in accord
ance with the intent and provisions
of the Ohio unemployment compen-
sation law.
The Administrators attack on the
law was described by labor officials
as, "Opposition to and condemnation
Of provisions of the Ohio unemploy-
ment compensation law that have
never been properly applied and given
fair trial to see if they could be
effectively administered"
Administrator Atkinson in his
speech also took the arbitrary view
point that unemployment insurance
is for the highest type of employed
individual He is the skilled or
semi-skilled workman, or white col
lar office or store employee"
He questioned the right of workmen
outside his "highest type" classifica-
ton to be considered as "really be-
longing to the permanent labor mar
ket."
personally, | am hopeful of seeing
at an early date Ohio employers and
| Ohio labor leaders sit down at COM
mon table and agree on the need for
ridding ourselves of the present un-
satisfactory Rule Three, and writing
substitute that will at once increase
the benefit amount and retain the in
surance principles Of the law" the
Administrator concluded his speech.
Labor officials were quick to point
out that Administrator Atkinson was
apparently disregarding the fact that
Ohio's unemployment compensation
law was not drafted hurriedIy, but on
recommendations of Commission
which made a careful study Of unem-
ployment insurance and more than q
year of consideration and debate b!
the Dist General Assembly.
Concessions We're made by both la.
Dor and employer representatives ii
the long legislative hearings, which
attracted national authorities to Co.
lumbus. Principles Of unemployment
compensation were thoroughly under
stood and considered before the pres
ent law was drafted and approved
section by section.
Although labor was opposed tC
automatic merit rating and individual
employer accounts, its representatives
conceded the first provision and tn,
employer agreed to the "pooled" type
fund for the latter.
The method of determining earning!
and computing benefits received per
haps more attention and longer study
than any other section Of the law. A!
finally approved and in it's presen
form, it represents what was finally
determined by labor, employers ant
legislators to be the most equitabl,
benefit procedure.
Forms approved by the old Unem
ployment Compensation Commission
and later the Bureau Of Unemploy
ment Compensation, sent to employ
erS amenable to the law, contain in
structions for computing the averag,
weekly wage of their employees an,
stipulate that the average shall b,
based on "the full-time week estab
lished for the worker"
Yet evidence has been presented t,
show that in cases where the employ
er has complied with requirements
his former employees have been denie,
so per cent of their established aver
age weekly wage by an arbitrar
"most frequent weekly earning" rul
applied by the Bureau of Unemploy
ment Compensation, resulting in
lower benefit to the unemployed work
. er.
Administrator Atkinson advocate
scrapping the full-time weekly wag
; concept, substituting in its place
, benefit formula which comes unde
, the classification of "mathematica
r whirligig" denounced by the Socs
Security Board, whose representative
urge adherence to the fundaments