The Illinois House Labor Committee voted to advance a bill that would give unemployment benefits to striking workers.

The measure, HB 2565 (Vella), would permit striking workers to collect unemployment payments after two weeks on the strike.

When balloted on this issue, 87% of NFIB members in Illinois opposed extending unemployment benefits to striking workers. Another 8% indicated that they were undecided.

“Small business owners already pay into the unemployment insurance system for their own employees,” said NFIB Illinois State Director Noah Finley. “This legislation would put small business owners with just a handful of employees on the hook for unemployment benefits paid out to striking workers at large corporations.”

Even without this change, the state’s unemployment trust fund balance is projected to decline this year, with collections from employers projected to come in under the amount the state is paying out to unemployed workers.

This projected deficit is due, at least in part, to Illinois’ relatively high unemployment rate. In December, Illinois had one of the highest unemployment rates in the Midwest and the nation.

TAKE ACTION NOW AND TELL LAWMAKERS TO STOP UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FOR STRIKING WORKERS