The Santa Maria Valley Chamber has signed a letter Opposing SB 1116 (Portantino) on Unemployment Insurance: Trade Disputes - eligibility for benefits.

This Bill has been labeled a JOB KILLER by Cal Chamber because it would effectively require employers to subsidize striking workers, even if that employer is not presently (or has never) experienced any strikes. By forcing employers to pay unemployment insurance (UI) payments to striking workers, SB 1116 would also raise unemployment insurance taxes on employers across California, overturn more than 70 years of precedent, and put California’s UI program at risk of violating federal law. This bill is a repeat of last year’s SB 799, which was vetoed by the Governor because of the debt it would add to California’s UI Fund—which is an even more pressing concern given the state’s long-term estimated budget concerns.

You can read the full letter of opposition at this link.