OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) — Republican legislators passed a law lowering taxes for businesses, but critics say it comes at the expense of jobless Oklahomans.
The law, which passed along party lines in both the House and the Senate, cuts the maximum number of weeks that unemployed Oklahomans can receive financial support from 26 to 16 starting Jan. 1.
Right now, Oklahoma offers the same number of weeks in unemployment benefits as 40 other states. But when House Bill 1933 takes effect, only four states will offer fewer weeks of emergency income to those looking for a job.
Oklahoma Watch requested interviews with the law’s author and all five sponsors. None of them responded.
The bill’s supporters told other media outlets that fewer weeks of support for Oklahomans will save businesses money by cutting their unemployment taxes, which are based on the number of claims paid against them. That savings will allow companies to raise their wages, legislators said. But there are no guarantees that will happen and lawmakers haven’t raised the state’s minimum wage of $7.25 per hour since 2009.
Cutting the time Oklahomans can receive unemployment help by nearly 40% won’t save the state money since those payments do not come out of the annual budget, according to a fiscal impact review. Oklahomans pay into a large trust fund with each paycheck they earn and are paid benefits from the trust.
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