State Senator Janet Bewley says a change implemented by the Walker Administration will hurt rural seasonal workers and businesses who traditionally use unemployment when seasonal work ends.
Bewley says many jobs in rural Wisconsin are seasonal...
"....now we have(unemployment)t shortened to 8 weeks. As an example, people who do a great job on a piece of construction equipment have to look for work after 8 weeks and accept a job if it's offered to them. Someone could lose a very experienced worker one for whose unemployment is paid, but they're going to lose them...."
Democrat Bewley says the state is also phasing out telephone access to job seekers applying for unemployment benefits, opting instead for internet only applications. When she asked about where people without good internet access can apply, she was told at a 'local library'. She says many people aren't close to a library. Few northern libraries are close to public transportation.
Bewley says she's going to introduce legislation to change that portion of unemployment. She says the state has granted more than $209 million dollars in manufacturing tax credits next year to companies that aren't required to create one job to get the tax break.
Bewley's Senate District includes parts of Vilas, Iron and Price counties.
