For 700,000 NJ workers who face barriers to jobless benefits, activists propose a bridge
Despite improvements in the state’s beleaguered unemployment system, over 700,000 New Jerseyans still face barriers to jobless benefits, a new report says.
Now several activist groups including Make the Road New Jersey — emphasizing the results of that report — are putting forward several solutions it says could close that gap. Those groups hosted a rally Wednesday at Military Park in Newark’s business district.
One proposal is the Job Bridge program, which would extend unemployment benefits to 737,400 workers who “face barriers to unemployment at any moment," the report says. The Job Bridge program, as proposed, would create a new “public benefit fund,” available to workers not covered by traditional unemployment, so that there would be “universal benefits for all unemployed workers.”
"Unemployment draws no distinction among workers, yet our current unemployment insurance system leaves far too many behind,” said Nicole Rodriguez, president of the progressive think tank New Jersey Policy Perspective.
The report says those workers include:
139,400 freelancers and self-employed people.
16,600 job transitioners.
200,700 who are monetarily ineligible.
5,600 returning citizens (those formerly incarcerated).
310,100 undocumented workers.
6,000 unemployed caregivers returning to work.
13,500 entering the workforce from education.
45,500 UI-eligible workers not accessing benefits.
“Everyone in New Jersey, whether you’re a farm worker in Bridgeton or a gig driver in Jersey City, should have access to good jobs, and that also means having access to unemployment insurance during periods of joblessness,” said Sara Cullinane, who heads Make the Road New Jersey.
The program would be funded through an unspecified tax on corporations, Cullinane said.
Gov. Phil Murphy has proposed a 2.5% “corporate transit fee” that would hit New Jersey’s highest-earning corporations to help financially strapped NJ Transit, though it has met considerable pushback from business trade groups and associations.
Who has been affected
In one case study, the report talks of Carina, whose last name is not given. She worked as a gig driver for a “multi-national corporation” but was let go after speaking up about working conditions, the report says.
Although she would have been eligible for unemployment assistance thanks to expanded programs during the pandemic, that was no longer the case because those programs lapsed.
In another case study, a food server named Carla was let go from her place of employment.
Despite having DACA protected status, she lost that after being unable to afford her renewal fee. Due to her immigration status, she no longer qualified for unemployment and could not afford food, medicine or utilities.
“It’s very stressful when you don’t have access to unemployment and it makes it harder to focus on finding a new job,” she said.
Under the Job Bridge proposal, those receiving regular unemployment benefits would get a supplemental payment on top of their existing jobless benefits.
Benefits navigation
The Job Bridge proposal also calls for a “Benefits Navigator Program,” which would provide grants to community organizations and labor unions to help workers file for their Job Bridge benefits or regular unemployment benefits.
Job Bridge would also work to educate program participants on their rights in the workplace.
Programs in other states
Colorado runs the Benefit Record Fund, set up for undocumented individuals ineligible for traditional unemployment. Applications for the program opened early last month.
It is funded by “some of the dollars already paid by employers on behalf of undocumented workers,” says the Colorado state website.
New York has a $2.1 billion Excluded Workers Fund for undocumented immigrants who are not eligible for traditional unemployment benefits.
Daniel Munoz covers business, consumer affairs, labor and the economy for NorthJersey.com and The Record.
Email: munozd@northjersey.com; Twitter:@danielmunoz100
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: For 700K NJ workers who face bar to jobless benefits, a bridge
