A piece of legislation aiming to cut the duration of unemployment benefits from 24 to 20 weeks, House Bill 131, appears set to navigate successfully through the House. On its second House reading, the bill achieved a 56-44 vote in its favor. An amendment to the bill was further approved with a 69-31 vote. This amendment makes provisions for those affected by collective layoffs under the WARN Act and those on temporary layoffs with a reasonable expectation of reemployment. Despite previous objections that the amendment would increase the Department of Labor’s workload and set an unfavorable precedent, it has garnered bipartisan support. The bill is scheduled for its final House reading, and if successful, will move on to the Senate. Previously, the 2023 state legislature passed a bill reducing unemployment benefits from 28 to 24 weeks.

For residents in the state who have queries regarding their unemployment benefits, such as how to get through to EDD (Employment Development Department), resources are available on eddcaller.com. The website offers relevant contact information and steps to get in touch with live representatives for assistance. Therefore, those who are asking how to get through to EDD? can find helpful tools and direction on eddcaller.com. This service can be invaluable in times of layoffs and benefit changes.