SB 15

Under current law, qualified claimants who have exhausted their regular

unemployment insurance benefits may potentially receive additional weeks of

benefits specified by law if a Wisconsin supplemental benefit period or a federal/state

extended benefit period is in effect. Both Wisconsin supplemental and federal/state

extended benefits are paid for in whole or in part by employers in this state. Recently,

the federal government has made available additional federally funded

unemployment insurance benefits to claimants in this state who have exhausted

their regular benefits. These additional benefits have been and may in the future

be funded by the federal government directly with little or no cost to employers in this

state. Current law permits the governor to suspend payment of either Wisconsin

supplemental or federal/state extended benefits in this state in order to allow for

payment of additional federally funded benefits.

This bill provides that no Wisconsin supplemental benefits may be paid for any

week of unemployment ending after January 27, 2009, during which additional

federally funded benefits are payable in this state unless the governor suspends this

suspension to permit resumption of Wisconsin supplemental benefit payments. The

bill also provides that no federal/state extended benefits may be paid for any week

of unemployment ending after January 27, 2009, unless federal/state extended

benefits are payable in this state for that week under federal law. The bill permits

the governor to suspend this suspension to permit resumption of federal/state

extended benefit payments.