Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-05-21
Senate Bill Boosts
JobIess Pay to SAB
34-Week Period
Voted, FL, by
District Unit

A Senate District Subcom-
mittee today reported out q
new unemployment compensa-
ton bill designed 10 appease
both labor and business in
terests in Washington.
The proposal vas favored by
d lem ocratic Committeeman
Morse Of Oregon and Clark Of
Pennsylvania, but opposed by
Senator Hoblitzell. Republican
Of West Virginia.
Senator Hoblitzell will testify
for his own version at a later
meeting of the full District
Committee, where the bill faces
a vote to the floor, revision or
burial. The West Virginlan. a
conservative on economic issues,
declined TO state his position,
but he was expected to urge
easier terms for employers than
the subcommittee bill provides.
AS approved. the bill raises
maximum weekly benefits for
local jobless from $50 for rs
weeks to $4S for "a weeks.
Below LabOr's Goal
This falls far below Senator
Morse's original bid for pay
ments as high as $50 UP to 80
weeks, supported by the ma
tional AFL-CIO. But its terms
are more generous than legis-
lation urged by the Board Of
Trade with benefits Of $35 for
the 26-week period.
To meet employer demands,
the subcommittee wrote into
the bill a proviso allowing vol
untary contributions to the
fund out Of which jobless pay
ments are drawn. This would
save employers money, espe-
cially through the next year,
because they are taxed for the
fund on rates determined part
ly by the cash reserves they
have deposited.
Employer groups fought an
other provision of the subcom-
mittee bill, however, changing
present variable disqualification
periods from four to nine weeks
to a standard six-week period.
This is bound to cost employ
ers money.
Study Waiting Period Costs
The disqualification section
means that workers who quit
without cause. are fired for mis-
conduct or fail to accept suit
able jobs are barred from col
Letting any compensation for
six weeks. Under present law
the District Unemployment
Board withholds payments
from four to nine weeks de-
pending on its judgment Of the
circumstances in each case.
The subcommittee requested
the board to prepare cost esti-
mates of the new disqualified
ton provision and Of the re-
viSed benefit schedule for this
afternoons session.
Another jobless benefit bill
drafted by board officials to
streamline administration also
was voted out by the subcom-
mittee. This relatively nom
controversial measure carries
five major sections. They
would:
. /. Exclude political employees
from local compensation laws,
leaving their protection in
case of job losses to their po-
litical employers.
2. Allow the board to figure
benefits on a presumption Of
, continued wage payments by
employers unable to pay those
wages because Of bankruptcy.
15-Day Forgiveness
3. Grant employers is days
! past the deadline for their
! contributions to the fund
before imposing penalties for
6 tardy payments.
! 4. Place taxes due the board
from bankrupt employers on a
q par with taxes owed the Fed
eral government.
5. Guarantee jobless who
= have been found to be fraudu-
! lent in dealings with the board
> benefits between the time Of
. the alleged fraud and the find.
ing Of fraud. Now, payments
sometimes are lost after
: charges.