The Change For Social Justice

Although stunned to find when I applied for unemployment compensation after being laid off (practical thing to do, right?) I found through the application process, if I received or would receive social security, the unemployment amount I was eligible to receive would be reduced by over half because I also qualified for social security benefits.

Why would such a connection need to be justified and made Law? Are the citizens of Illinois aware!

This is clearly age discrimination. This is going to be a serious burden on the elderly; or is this about the "Baby Boomers" lay off/retirement during this period in time. My outrage as being working class is not only for myself, I have faired well over the years, but for the many working poor and middle class who have worked all their lives at or above minimum wage and are faced with unexpected lay offs in the middle of an economy where they are trying to hold on to their real estate. Unemployment compensation can be the bridge to help many workers from going under.

Contact your Illinois Senators and Representatives and let's get the word out!!

And What All This Means To Us

If the General Assembly followed the rules, yes this chart describes the official process as required by state statute for how a bill becomes a law. This chart describes how a bill becomes a law in it the most basic form. Unless a bill is not the least bit controversial, there is always a lot more to the process that the general public doesn’t know about and that is not written in statute or rule. People only see these other things if they are in the Capitol actually trying to get a bill passed.

The agreed bill process is one of those that is not part of the official process and does not belong on this chart. If it would go anywhere, it would be placed right after the “Read 1st time” bubble.

Yes, I think it would be perfectly fine to put a link to this chart on the blog.

Yes, I believe I explained in my last email how the agreed bill process works. The Governor, Speaker and Senate President all follow the process and ensure unemployment and worker’s comp bills go to the agreed bill process before they allow them to move forward in their respective chambers.

Yes, we need to get as many co-sponsors as we can to keep the pressure up on leadership and on business and labor groups to make this bill pass. Even the Governor, Speaker and Senate President cannot ignore such things as bi-partisan groups of 40% of members in each chamber signed on in support of a bill. The pressure is meant to get the bills on the agreed bill list. I don’t like or feel comfortable guiding it that way, but that’s the way things are for us if we want the bill to pass. Yes, when I say “leadership”, I am referring to Cullerton and Madigan.

Ryan Gruenenfelder AARP Illinois Associate State Director - Advocacy & Outreach

The Change For Social Justice

Bob Gallo, senior state director, AARP Illinois

NEWS YOU CAN USE FROM THE FRONT

Social Security Offset to Unemployment Insurance Unfair to Elderly

BILL KNIGHT: Social Security Should Not Count Against Jobless Benefits!

Illinois Social Security/Unemployment Insurance Offset HB096 & SB144

INFORMATION ALERTS

...And Justice For All!!

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