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Updated at: 11/17/2009 6:43 PM Missing Out on UnemploymentSome people on unemployment are finding out, they'll be getting less money when they renew their claims. Take Tom Sturgis for example. He's from Biwabik. Sturgis is a crane operator, who does mine maintenance. He's also a father of five, four of whom are still living at home. Sturgis was laid off last December. He picked up some work this summer at Northshore Mining, but now is laid off again. He has to re-new his unemployment in December, because it's been a full year. But his benefit amount is about to be cut drastically. That's because the claim is based on his summer's wages, rather than what he would make in a full year. He's discovered that he would be better off financially, if he hadn't worked at all. "We shouldn't get penalized for working. We squeaked by last winter, this winter I'm not sure what's going to happen once I tap my savings," he said. Also, Sturgis isn't eligible for the federal extensions that have been signed into law, which extends benefits to 86 weeks in total. He and others in the same boat are lobbying our local lawmakers, who in turn are lobbying Congress for changes to federal unemployment legislation. Congressman Jim Oberstar's office said they are working on issues like Sturgis'. About 175,000 people in Minnesota are on unemployment right now. |
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