Expand Unemployment Insurance to Cover More Women Workers; Many Do Not Qualify for Benefits


The Problem
The unemployment insurance (UI) program is highly successful at supporting workers when they lose a job, facilitating prompt reemployment, and keeping workers out of poverty after a job loss. The problem with the current UI program is that many workers, especially women workers, do not qualify for ui benefits. This forces many of these workers, especially those raising children, to fall into deeper poverty and to rely on welfare as their only between-jobs income option. Welfare is the poor woman’s unemployment program. This needs to change.

The Solution

Legislation introduced by Rep. Kurt Granberg (D) in the Illinois House of Representatives is designed to address this problem. House bill (H.B.) 3097 will expand eligibility for UI (1) to cover workers who lose their jobs due to a loss of child care and (2) to cover more of the welfare-to-work group (overwhelmingly women)—those with only recent employment and those whose employment is mostly concentrated in one calendar quarter.

What You Can Do


Call or fax your state representative today. Let them know that you support H.B. 3097. Ask them to cosponsor the bill and to vote yes when the bill comes up in committee and on the House floor.

If you have any questions contact Wendy Pollack at 312.263.3830 ext. 238