LANSING – State Representative Gary McDowell (D-Rudyard) on Wednesday voted in favor of a plan that is part of a continuing effort to help Michigan workers who are struggling in the global economic crisis. The plan will extend unemployment benefits for workers who take advantage of retraining or vocational programs to pursue good-paying jobs available now in high-demand fields. Michigan's unemployment rate is currently 12.6 percent, the highest in the nation.
"We must continue to reach out and help the workers who are struggling in these tough times," McDowell said. "This plan will provide training for the good-paying jobs that will be vital in the 21st century. Our hard-working men and women need this, and our state needs this."
Under the plan, unemployed workers who are enrolled in a vocational or skill retraining program qualify for an additional 26 weeks of unemployment benefits. These benefits will be automatically provided to workers who are in a declining industry and enter an approved training program that prepares workers for entry into a high-demand occupation. Under this program, workers will be able to complete their training and have the time they need to move back into the workforce.
The stimulus dollars would cover funding for workers in retraining for at least the next two years. Without this plan, Michigan stands to lose out on more than $138 million in unemployment assistance money as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that Michigan's underemployment rate was 19.1 percent in February, according to an April 14 article in The Detroit News. This number includes both unemployed and those who are looking for a full-time job and are unable to find work.
"This plan will help get our displaced workers back on the job by giving them the skills they need to break into the growing fields like health care, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing," McDowell said. "Many of our workers have put in years of service at their jobs and they are now out of work through no fault of their own. We can't desert our residents in these tough times."