Farmland employees, who were displaced from the Albert Lea plant after a fire on July 8 last year, are now eligible for a 13-week extension of unemployment benefits by the federal government.

Thursday, March 14, 2002

Farmland employees, who were displaced from the Albert Lea plant after a fire on July 8 last year, are now eligible for a 13-week extension of unemployment benefits by the federal government. The enactment of the federal program should help a similar extension measure being discussed in the state legislature, supporters expect.

President Bush signed the economic stimulus bill last Saturday. The package, which had been revised four times in the House, includes $43 billion in corporate tax cuts and an $8 billion infusion to the states for the additional unemployment benefits. A proposed repeal of the corporate alternative minimum tax, which would result in a $25 billion refund to corporations, was excluded after Democrats objected.

About 20,000 workers in the state could get the 13-week extension, according to the Minnesota Department of Economic Security. The agency will start sending letters to them this week with instructions.

The state’s bill, targeted at Farmland, Fingerhut and travel inudstry employees, already passed the Senate. The House version is still in the Ways and Means Committee and will be brought down to the floor as early as next week.

Both the Senate and House versions allow a maximum 26-week extension for ex-Farmland workers who are enrolled in a job-training program.

Rep. Dan Dorman, R-Albert Lea, thinks the federal government’s decision will make it easier for the state legislators to pass the bill and Gov. Jesse Ventura to endorse it.

The Senate version provides the same remedy for Fingerhut and air travel industries, while the House version limits the extension for airline workers to 13 weeks.

&uot;From natural disasters to Sept. 11, there are some economic challenges we can never predict and cannot simply absorb,&uot; said Sen. Grace Schwab, R-Albert Lea. &uot;Offering thousands of Minnesota’s workers a temporary hand up while they regain their footing is the right thing to do.&uot;