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Majority of Iowans oppose Gov. Kim Reynolds' proposal to cut unemployment benefits

cigaretteman

HR King
May 29, 2001
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Majority of Iowans oppose Gov. Kim Reynolds' proposal to cut unemployment benefits​

Tyler Jett
Des Moines Register










© Copyright 2022, Des Moines Register and Tribune Co

The majority of Iowans oppose cuts to unemployment insurance, although the idea has become more popular among Republicans.

Fifty-three percent of respondents to the Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll oppose proposed cuts to benefits for laid-off workers, while 38% favor the plan. Another 9% of respondents are undecided.

A bill backed by Gov. Kim Reynolds in the Legislature this year would decrease how long Iowans can receive weekly payments, from 26 weeks to 16 weeks. The bill also would require claimants to wait a week before receiving funds and require them to accept lower-paying job offers than the current law demands.

The proposal marks Republican leaders’ second attempt in as many years to cut unemployment payments. Last year’s version, which failed, did not propose reducing how long claimants could receive benefits, but the bill would have decreased the amount of money Iowans could receive every week — a proposal not in this year’s edition.


Last year, an Iowa Poll found that 75% of respondents opposed cutting benefits in a similar question, 22 percentage points higher than this year. Majorities of Republicans, Democrats and independents opposed the proposed cuts. But the most recent poll showed greater divisions along party lines.

This year, 60% of Republicans now support the cuts, an increase of 38 percentage points since last year, while 28% oppose them. Meanwhile, among Democrats, opposition is still strong: Only 14% of Democrats support the cuts this year, and 82% oppose them. Among self-described independents, 39% support the cuts, an increase of 21 percentage points from last year, and 52% oppose them.



 
I wonder instead of asking polling people if they favor or oppose:

Cut unemployment benefits to laid-off workers
to
Reduce maximum weekly unemployment benefits from $605 to $530

If you would get different numbers.... This is why polling sucks.
 
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Won't this kill seasonal workers? How do we maintain seasonal jobs if there is no wage bridge in between work?
Seasonal jobs are only 6 months? Also, there are other jobs available where many would make more than what they receive in unemployment benefits. I would like to see what it says about temp/seasonal unemployment (i.e. construction workers etc) before bashing it.
 
Seasonal jobs are only 6 months? Also, there are other jobs available where many would make more than what they receive in unemployment benefits. I would like to see what it says about temp/seasonal unemployment (i.e. construction workers etc) before bashing it.
My guess is that whatever it says won't be good and based on the comments in the article this is just the opening salvo, or whatever that saying is. Benefits will probably be reduced next. I could totally see weekly bennies dropping to $200.
 
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They want to force people to take low paying jobs regardless of what they were making before. This should scare anyone with a decent job.
Most of those low paying jobs still pay more than unemployment benefits.
 
Yes, but it’s hard to search for an equivalent job when you’re forced to take the first thing that comes along.

100%

Another non-problem about to be solved by Reynolds.

I could see unemployed now leaving Iowa for work (in another state) if not allotted the time to find equivalent employment in Iowa, or this perhaps promoting more migration to primary towns in Iowa. If I were a small remote town mayor, I would be calling Reynolds letting her know that this is a bad idea with minority support.
 
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