Wisconsin lawmakers reinstate state’s work-search requirement

(The Center Square) – People on unemployment in Wisconsin are once again going to have to look for work.

Republicans on the state’s rules panel on Wednesday reinstated Wisconsin’s work-search requirement.

“It is so imperative to get people out looking for work,” Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, said.

Gov. Tony Evers’ administration suspended the requirement that people apply for jobs to maintain their unemployment benefits during last year’s peak of the coronavirus.

Republicans in the Legislature and business groups across the state say expanded federal unemployment benefits are keeping people from returning to work.

Folks on unemployment in Wisconsin can earn more than $600 a week in benefits. Of that, $300 comes from expanded federal benefits.

Amy Pechacek, the head of the state’s Department of Workforce Development, said there’s a federal study that says expanded benefits are not keeping people from returning to work.

“The U.S. Treasury found no correlation and no evidence that those benefits acted as a disincentive to folks trying to find stable employment,” Pechacek told lawmakers.

Pechacek asked lawmakers to wait until July to make any changes. They declined,

Wednesday’s vote means the work-search requirement is back in place as of Sunday.

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