Unemployment insurance is an earned benefit that provides income support to workers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. Unemployment insurance helps families avoid economic shocks as the person who lost their job transitions to new work, and it helps sustain consumer demand during economic downturns. Read the full fact sheet here.
Across the country, most states offer 26 weeks of unemployment insurance contingent upon the laid off worker demonstrating their continued eligibility. Despite the obvious familial and economic benefits of unemployment insurance, special interest groups in West Virginia have pushed in recent years to cut earned unemployment insurance benefits. Proposals included reducing the number of weeks of unemployment benefits available to the state’s unemployed workers and capping benefits.[1] HB 5276, introduced during the 2024 legislative session, would cut the number of weeks available, cap the weekly benefit amount available, and freeze the employer threshold for unemployment insurance tax contributions. While justifications for cutting unemployment insurance typically emphasize trust fund solvency and employer tax competitiveness, a deeper look at the data shows that West Virginia is well-positioned under current law.
Read Sean’s full analysis here.
[1] House Bill 5276, 2024 West Virginia Legislative Session.
