WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is proposing a set of changes to unemployment insurance that he says would offer more security to out-of-work Americans and encourage more people to rejoin the workforce.
Obama's plan would expand coverage to many part-time and low-income workers and would also expand wage insurance programs, aiming to soften the transition for people who take lower-paying jobs.
Obama also wants to require states to provide at least 26 weeks of unemployment insurance. Nine states fall short of the benchmark.
In his media weekly address, Obama says his proposal will modernize the unemployment insurance system and encourage workers to switch careers and develop new skills to adapt to a changing economy.
