Wisconsin Legislature Votes to Eliminate Federal Bonus for the Unemployed

Thursday, June 10th, 2021 -- 10:06 AM

(AP) -The Wisconsin Legislature has voted to eliminate a $300-a-week federal bonus for unemployed people, a measure that Gov. Tony Evers has made clear he’s likely to veto.

The federal payment, approved to help the unemployed during the coronavirus pandemic, is scheduled to end on Sept. 6. Twenty-five other states have already approved ending it early, saying it has exacerbated worker shortage problems.

That’s the argument that state and local chambers of commerce, trade groups and others are making for passing the bill in Wisconsin. The state’s unemployment rate is currently at 3.8%, which is slightly higher than pre-pandemic levels.

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