Stories tagged: "unemployment insurance"


Senate President Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield) speaks during a press conference unveiling a Republican legislative package that would make it harder to access unemployment benefits and BadgerCare. GOP lawmakers claimed the bills will help address the worker shortage. (Screenshot via WisEye)
Public Assistance Would Be Harder to Access Under GOP Bills

Despite a record-low unemployment rate, Republican lawmakers want to make it harder for unemployed and low-income people to access public assistance under the guise of addressing the worker shortage.

Chippewa Falls resident Sharon Stephens examines a blanket that depicts the Chippewa Valley region while shopping Monday at The Local Store in downtown Eau Claire. The small business and others across Wisconsin report strong recent sales, but many also report continuing to struggle to make up for losses incurred during the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Julian Emerson)
Wisconsin’s Small Businesses Are Doing Great. Who Should Get the Credit?

Kleefisch says Evers’ “leadership stinks” but acknowledges small businesses are recovering “far faster than we ever could have hoped.”

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester), center, is flanked by Rep. Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam), left, and Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna) during a July 2021 press conference. (Photo by Christina Lieffring)
Unemployed Wisconsinites Will Keep $300 Boost After Republicans Fail to End It

The vote to override Gov. Tony Evers’ veto of the bill failed along party lines. The boost will remain until its original September expiration date.

Image by Morgaine Ford-Workman
Unemployment Office Finally Gets Approved for an Upgrade

Labor expert: It used to take 11 questions to apply for jobless help. Now it’s more than 120, using an understaffed office and an antiquated computer system.

(Photo provided)
Evers’ Calls Special Session to Overhaul Antiquated Unemployment Insurance System

Governor follows through on State of the State message to upgrade system that led to massive backlog, while also declaring 2021 the Year of Broadband Access in yearly speech.

(Photo provided)
Another 19,000 Join Unemployed as State’s Total Reaches 840,000

A payment backlog still persists and the $600 boost has expired.

(Photo provided)
State Democrats Seek Republican Support for Package of Unemployment Benefit Bills

Proposal comes as unemployment for June drops to 8.5 percent and backlog hovers around 141,000 unemployment claims.