The Wyandotte news-herald. (Wyandotte, Mich.) 1943-1963, 1945-01-25
High Unemployment Level Reflected
in State Compensation Operations
Maximum Of $4,000 Persons Out
of Work at Close of Year

industries was reflected in unem-
ployment compensation operations
in Michigan during 1914. A maxi
mum of $4,000 persons were out of
work as the year closed, and most
of these were for brief periods be-
tween jobs. This is far cry from
1885 when unemployment figures for
this State were estimated at 342, 1892.
These were the highlights of re-
view of operations released today by
DR.. Robert M. Ashley, Chairman Of
the Michigan Unemployment Com
pensation Commission. He pointed
out that his figures are preliminary
estimates which will be subject to
minor revisions.
During the past year only 140,173
persons filed initial claims for un-
employment insurance in Michigan
and approximately $1,000 actually
collected benefits. These payments
amounted to about $6,175,312 for
326051 weeks of compensate unem-
ployment On the average, each per-
son received about 1894 per week
in benefits for 48 weeks.
The greatest amount Of unem-
ployed occurred in Flint and Detroit
These cities together accounted for
more than $500 of the initial
claims filed during 1914.
AS claims for unemployment in
surance shrank under the impact of
war production, tax collections for
the unemployment insurance trust
fund reached a total of s53,576,O37
Lower estimate rates assigned to
employers for the past year resulted
in a 179c decline from 1913 in the
amount of tax collections deposited.
However, the amounts paid in bene-
fits represented only 11.5@o Of con-
tributions paid, whereas in 1910, the
last calendar year unaffected by
war influences, benefits paid we're
$3.50 of current contributions.
Michigans unemployment insur-
ance trust fund totaled S257, 743, 251 80
at the year-end, and should reach
S272O00,000 by the end of January
when collections are received on
4th quarter 1914 payrolls. If this
total is divided among all workers
who had earned wage credits in
1943, it would mean that each could
receive s136 in benefits. Estimates
Of postwar unemployment resulted
from reconversion of war industries
to peace-time production reveals
that this fund should be sufficient
to carry all joblesS war workers
through the first impact of the re-
conversion period The Michigan
fund is further Safeguarded by a
Federal Unemployment Account, es-
tablished when Congress passed the
George Bill in August, 1914. Funds
can be advanced from this account
to State funds If they become de-
pleted during a period of unemploy-
ment.
A separate unemployment insur-
ance system for returning veterans
was established with the passage of
the Servicemen's REIMBURSEMENT Act
Of 1914. and provides for readjust-
ment allowances payable at the rate
Of $40 per week, and up to So weeks
during the two years after the vet
eran is mustered out. One unique
feature of veterans allowances is
that it provides benefit payments
for self-employed ex-servicemen who
earn less at their occpation than
500 per month AS of December 81,
1914. approximately $4,000 men and
women from Michigan have already
been discharged from military serv-
ice. OF this number, about 900 or
1919 have filed claims under the
Servicemen's Readjustment Act for
unemployment compensation bene-
fits.