Mississippi's opt out of additional unemployment benefits has Democrats calling for minimum wage

[TexasTowelie]

Mississippi’s opt out of additional unemployment benefits has Democrats calling for minimum wage hikes


On Monday, Governor Tate Reeves announced that Mississippi would cease its participation in receiving the federal unemployment supplemental benefits on June 12. Unemployed persons are currently receiving up to $235 per week with an additional $300 from the federal government through Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.

The Governor said the move comes as businesses are struggling to find workers while competing with the federal government’s additional monies.

“After many conversations over the last several weeks with Mississippi small business owners and their employees, it has become clear that the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and other like programs passed by the Congress may have been necessary in May of last year but are no longer so in May of this year,” Governor Reeves stated. “I have also directed MDES to prioritize pre-pandemic enforcement of all eligibility requirements for any individual to receive unemployment benefits under state law.”

The Mississippi Department of Employment Security says the move will effect 70,000 people. Ending the federal assistance and returning to pre-pandemic requirements will leave approximately 15,000 Mississippians on state unemployment benefit rolls.

Read more: https://yallpolitics.com/2021/05/12/mississippis-opt-out-of-additional-unemployment-benefits-has-democrats-calling-for-minimum-wage-hikes/