MADISON, Wis. (SPECTRUM NEWS) – Wisconsin's unemployment rate is improving for now, but the state's top health officials warn the worst of the pandemic could still be ahead.

Though more Wisconsinites are getting back to work as the unemployment rate dropped to 8.5%, the state is still having a hard time processing unemployment claims.

Right now, there are roughly 141,000 people awaiting payments.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agree something needs to be done about the state's unemployment system, but Democrats and Republicans don't see eye to eye on the best solution.

State Rep. Shelia Stubbs (D-Madison) is one of the Democrats who introduced legislation Thursday aimed at removing some of the barriers to unemployment benefits.

“We let's just be honest and talk and be candid about our system,” Stubbs said. “It's antiquated, it's an old system, it was never built with a pandemic, so that's a problem. Money isn't blue, money isn't red, guess what color money is? It's green. People need green money to really be investing within the state and their household. People have every right to be disappointed at our system. They have every right to stand up and say I can't put food on my table.”

Democrats, including Rep. Stubbs, introduced the following legislation:

• LRB 6244 - Wisconsin is one of only two states that prevent people with disabilities who are able to work from receiving unemployment benefits. This bill would allow social security disability (SSDI) recipients to receive concurrent unemployment insurance benefits.

• LRB 6246 - Under current law, individuals cannot receive extended UI benefits when participating in extended occupational training. This bill would reinstate the ability of those participating in extended occupational training to receive extended UI benefits.

• LRB 6249 - Currently, claimants are ineligible for UI during weeks where they hit a wage threshold. This bill would temporarily suspend the $500 wage threshold for recipients of unemployment insurance benefits.

• LRB 6254 - The current definition of “suitable work” creates challenges for claimants. This bill reinstates DWD’s authority to determine by administrative rule what constitutes suitable work a claimant must accept if offered, and what labor market conditions to review based on the number of weeks that the claimant has received benefits.
• LRB 6256 - Several laws enacted over the last decade have restricted DWD’s ability to increase access to unemployment insurance when appropriate. This bill expands DWD’s authority to promulgate rules that provide waivers for work search and job registration requirements.

• LRB 6257 - Currently, payments on valid unemployment insurance claims are delayed for one week. This bill would permanently eliminate the requirement that claimants wait one week before receiving benefits.

• LRB 6265 - Currently, claimants are required for perform four work searches per week. This bill lowers the required work searches from four to two per week and repeals the provision allowing DWD to require by rule additional work searches.

• LRB 6362 - The concept of substantial fault has caused confusion for both employers and employees and when employees are entitled to benefits when they are discharged by their employers. This bill would eliminate the concept of substantial fault being a disqualifying factor.

Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna) was quick to dismiss the ideas—blaming the governor for how he's handled the crisis.

“It’s clear that after months of failing their constituents and the thousands of Wisconsinites awaiting unemployment benefits from the Evers administration, Wisconsin Democrats are feeling the heat of Tony Evers’ failures,” Steineke said. “The Evers’ administration’s response to this unemployment crisis has been nothing short of a dumpster fire. The tired proposals trotted out today would only serve to expand eligibility to an already strained system and fuel the flames of the problem at hand.”

Republicans want to use federal money to cover the costs of unemployment benefits for people waiting to find out if they qualify, which Gov. Tony Evers called a “political stunt.”

Lawmakers like Rep. Stubbs are still holding out hope that partisanship can be put aside and the Republican-controlled legislature will call a special session.

“I don't have time to play political games,” Stubbs said. “What I have time to do is make sure that I fight on behalf of every constituent.”