PHOENIX — Insisting there are plenty of jobs out there, the state House gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a measure to cut the length of time Arizonans who are laid off can collect jobless benefits.
Current law says those let go through no fault of their own can get up to 24 weeks of payments. These are supposed to be equal to one-half of what they were earning, though state law caps that at no more than $320 a week.
Senate Bill 1167 would cut that to no more than 20 weeks when the jobless rate tops 8.5%. And it would not increase even in times of even tighter job markets, such as when Arizona’s unemployment rate topped 11% during the last recession.
