Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

Relief coming to unemployed

COLUMBIA -- Relief is on the way for thousands of out-of-work South Carolinians who've run out of weekly unemployment checks during these distressing economic times.

State lawmakers began tweaking an existing rule that has blocked tens of millions of dollars in federal stimulus money from reaching unemployed residents. House representatives agreed to amend a bill and gave it key approval.

Rep. Kenny Bingham, R-Cayce, called it a "very technical change that has a very real impact for the citizens of our state."

Legislative leaders expect the proposal to pass the House and the Senate today and move on to Gov. Mark Sanford for his signature. Once that happens, residents who have missed out on benefits could receive a check within a week.

Lawmakers reconvened at the Statehouse for a special session less than two weeks after The Post and Courier uncovered the oversight. Without the change, no South Carolina resident is eligible to draw emergency jobless benefits worth an additional five months of weekly checks.

The money is available through the $787 billion federal stimulus package, which passed in February. South Carolina's unemployment rate - one of the highest in the country at 11.6 percent -- meant the state was eligible for the most generous emergency benefits extension under the stimulus package.

Some unemployed workers had been receiving 13 weeks of emergency benefits until earlier this month when the number of people drawing unemployment checks fell below a certain rate. Now, they'll be receiving none.

The measure passed the special session quietly and without much public discussion.

Though state lawmakers had the power to tweak the law, they harshly criticized officials at the South Carolina Employment Security Commission -- especially outgoing executive director Roosevelt Halley -- for failing to tell them about the necessary changes.

Halley defended his actions, saying the information was available in the original 1,200-page federal stimulus package.

Once the bill passes, officials at the state Employment Security Commission will begin funneling additional money to eligible residents within days.

Agency staffers are poised to qualify residents on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration whether they've found a job or whether they've moved out-of-state, said Allen Larson, who oversees unemployment insurance for the Employment Security Commission.

Residents who qualify will receive a lump sum amount that's based on the number of missed weeks and the weekly amount they qualify for.