Rep. Hansen Calls for Extended UI Benefits for Federal Workers
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Yesterday, the Minnesota House passed legislation that would extend the availability of unemployment insurance (UI) benefits for about 640 laid-off miners on the Iron Range for an additional 26 weeks. The bill passed 132-0 in the House but did not pass in the Senate.
Representative Rick Hansen (DFL-South St. Paul) released the following statement:
“Throughout my career, including last night, I’ve voted to ensure unemployment benefits for Minnesota workers who are unexpectedly laid off. Right now, we are also seeing unexpected layoffs come down from the Trump administration, with 300 federal workers in Minnesota now struggling to provide for themselves and their families. Just like the miners we voted to extend benefits to last night, these workers are often highly skilled and specialized and were fired through no fault of their own.
“Those federal workers should be eligible for the same UI benefit extension the House voted on last night, and I’m calling on our leaders to find a solution that ensures we’re supporting all workers in the state of Minnesota.”
There are about 18,000 federal workers in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, approximately 300 of those have already been laid off. These federal workers often have specific skill sets and may struggle to find gainful employment in their careers during the regular period of unemployment benefits. Extending unemployment for these workers will ensure they can find jobs that best fit their skills and best support themselves and their families.
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