Tell WA House Reps: Don't vote on the unbalanced unemployment reform bill without policies to get workers paid

rich 1.0 Action Network https://actionnetwork.org <link href='https://actionnetwork.org/css/style-embed-v3.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' /><script src='https://actionnetwork.org/widgets/v6/letter/wa-house-reps-dont-vote-on-sb5061?format=js&source=widget'></script><div id='can-letter-area-wa-house-reps-dont-vote-on-sb5061' style='width: 100%'></div> Working Washington https://actionnetwork.org/groups/working-washington Tell WA House Reps: Don't vote on the unbalanced unemployment reform bill without policies to get workers paid https://actionnetwork.org//images/generic_facebook.jpg WA state senators just voted to approve SB 5061, the “unemployment reform” bill, on the Senate floor. Now, legislators are ignoring the workers who have spoken out, and subverting the process by pulling it straight to the House floor for a vote — without the amendments workers need, and without even holding a public hearing. SB 5061 gives huge tax breaks to businesses on unemployment to help get them through the crisis — but it only creates minor reforms for workers. It does nothing to address the key issue we’ve been raising: the broken unemployment system that has left tens of thousands of us without payments we’re owed for months, if we see them at all. It’s not right for legislators to give away tax breaks to businesses without addressing the unemployment system crisis for workers. And it’s definitely not right to push this bill through behind closed doors. There are policies our legislature could introduce right now to make sure ESD is getting $ into workers’ hands, like a guaranteed timeline for assessing baseline eligibility, a moratorium on overpayments during the crisis, and an affirmative audit of denials since March. These are the amendments workers have demanded: http://bit.ly/sb5061 But legislators continue to prioritize businesses without addressing workers’ concerns. In fact, they’ve amended SB 5061 to give businesses even more tax relief. And they’ve added an amendment that creates a new subminimum benefit for the lowest-paid workers — meaning if SB 5061 passes as it is, some workers would see lower benefits than they’re getting now. Pushing SB 5061 through without addressing workers’ needs is not only irresponsible, it’s dangerous. The broken unemployment system continues to throw tens of thousands of workers into financial crisis, deepen racial inequities, and harm public health. We can’t let them get away with this. Use this form to tell House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, House Labor Committee Chair Mike Sells, and your reps: Do not subvert the legislative process to vote on SB 5061. Hold a public hearing & amend the bill to make it work for unemployed workers. https://actionnetwork.org/letters/wa-house-reps-dont-vote-on-sb5061