A new bill would cut the number of weeks a person could obtain unemployment benefits by up to 50%. This could mean the average Arizonan would likely lose their benefits two weeks before finding a new job.
Arizona Republicans are moving a bill through the Legislature that would slash unemployment benefits from a minimum of 24 weeks to as little as 12, depending on the current jobless rate. The state Department of Economic Security says even in the current market, where the jobless rate is just under 4%, the average time it takes for someone on unemployment benefits to find a job is 14 weeks.
This concerns some Republicans like Rep. Walt Blackman who said it can be harder to find jobs depending on where you live.
“I see it every day in my communities, I talk to people in Walmart, I go to church with them, that are struggling to find jobs. And it does take them awhile," Blackman said.
Though he voted yes in committee, he said before the final House vote, he would like to hear from constituents and community leaders.
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