Business

Obama‘s ’Bridge to Work’: Allows People To Collect Unemployment While Testing Jobs

Obama Admins Bridge to Work Allows People To Collect Unemployment While Testing New JobWASHINGTON (AP/The Blaze) — The Obama administration is looking for states that will experiment with unemployment insurance programs by letting people test a job while still receiving benefits.

(Related: D.C. Hands Out Mass Firings As Employees Caught Collecting Unemployment While Working)

The plan is a key feature of a payroll tax cut package that President Barack Obama negotiated with congressional Republicans in February.

The Labor Department will open the application process Thursday for 10 model projects across the country. Any state can apply for the “Bridge to Work” program.

The plan is modeled after a Georgia program called “Georgia Works.” Under the plan, workers who have lost jobs can be placed in other temporary jobs as trainees for short periods to “retain their skills” or gain new ones while receiving unemployment money. About a third of the time, those workers wind up getting hired full-time.

A number of states are combining unemployment benefits with on-the-job training, including North Carolina, New Hampshire, Utah, and Missouri.

A senior administration official said those states would be eligible to apply for the federal demonstration project. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the program before an administration announcement.

States that are chosen could get waivers from the federal government allowing them to tap their unemployment insurance accounts to pay for such costs as transportation for workers in temporary jobs.

Administration officials said they hope the waivers and assistance offered by the federal demonstration projects could help rectify any problems that have emerged.

Supporters of the programs say it helps workers retain or learn new skills and add new job references to their resumes. The plan passed with support from leading Republicans, including House Speaker John Boehner and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, according to the AP.

It also is designed to answer critics of unemployment benefits who say the aid discourages some people from aggressively seeking work.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Comments (111)

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  • IndyGuy
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:01pm

    “Obama‘s ’Bridge to Work’: Allows People To Collect Unemployment While Testing Jobs”…Yer kiddin’…Right???…….Right????

    Report Post » IndyGuy  
    • maccow
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:09pm

      At the bottom of this slippery slope, say ten years from now, will be Democrats accusing Republicans of being hateful, racist, etc. for not allowing a poor family making <150K to continue receiving welfare and unemployment under this legislation, in their 90th month of employment.
      But who could possibly see that one coming today?

      Report Post » maccow  
    • Teabunny
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:16pm

      no…business will not be able to afford to operate and pay workers…so the state will give them the opportunity to “help the state, while the state helps you” the stse will provide employees, however we will want a greater cut of your profits…say 90%…ah heck…lets just say no more private property, lets just have state run businesses…what was it maxine waters said???

      Report Post » Teabunny  
    • MONICNE
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:22pm

      It seems I have heard about this from Newt Gingrich – he claims it works very well in reducing the time that an employee is on benefits, and also provides free labor to businesses who sponsor the candidates. It is totally voluntary by the business, but they get tax credits too.

      TEA

      Report Post » MONICNE  
    • Teabunny
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:39pm

      direction, my friend…in dribs and drabs…ever increasing in speed, as collapse of the “old Order” becomes more and more imminent. brilliant plan…evil, but brilliant!

      Report Post » Teabunny  
    • Teabunny
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:41pm

      so newt thinks its a good idea to pay workers from tax dollars…while cutting the amount business pays in taxes? wow, brilliant (if you want to collapse things!)

      Report Post » Teabunny  
    • fastfacts1
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:46pm

      CAMPAIGNER AND CHIEF… Now he is saying that his staff… not him… are fans of NASCAR: http://www.thedailycandidate.com/video/2012/apr/obama_nascar_fans.html

      Sorry Mr. President, most NASCAR fans are gun toting bible clingers.

      Report Post »  
    • Teabunny
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:50pm

      i suggested something similar for underprivileged kids to get a leg up and out of dependency…but this is wholesale moving the work force to state control! mine would have been covered by the reduced amount spent on trials and incarceration of juveniles currently costing the system a fortune, without producing anything or without showing them another road. this is just the groundwork to state capitalism!

      Report Post » Teabunny  
    • Delta_River_Folk
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:50pm

      I too would like to get unemployement while I work. Heck, give me what I got coming. Shoot, I just want sit at home and let all those other folks go work all day. I have better things to do like: watch tv, sleep, eat, hangout with my peeps, and spend my free money. Man I gotsta go down to the sto, pickup my steak using my government card. You would really like my brand new ride. If only the governemt would give me gas money too. Hey, thanks alot America, and keep up the hard work.

      Report Post »  
    • johnjamison
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:50pm

      Exactly that will obviously work out well…..Obama has to be the stupidiest person to every step foot in the white house much less be elected

      Report Post »  
    • johnjamison
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:53pm

      Here’s an idea Obama the state has lots of low level low skill work like clean reast stops,mowing ,picking up trash,clean government office buildings …How about making those on unemploymenty do these jobs while trying to find jobs that don’t bleed the tax payers.

      Report Post »  
    • pscully17
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:53pm

      This Is Communism at its most pure definition!!! we are already communists… and I contend.. as with any clash of unwaivering ideological conflicts, our country will have to have a civil war to determin who wins control… the days of verbal debate are coming to a close… one side must purge the other. are you prepared?

      Report Post »  
    • kingssman
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:58pm

      Actually, if you apply for a job, or even score a job interview (no guarantee that you obtain the job or be employed more than 2 months) you can loose your unemployment for up to 12 weeks.

      Now say you’re on unemployment, been on it for 3 weeks as you’ve been spamming resumes everywhere. A hiring agency says “hey, we got temporary work, i’ts over the summer and only a 3 month long stint”. You take it for work is work. First day on the job you loose your unemployment (which happens to pay almost as much as working), but that doesn’t matter you have a job. At the end of 3 months you’re back to being unemployed. But since you accepted work, and off the unemployment dole, it is hassle and workarounds to get back on. You are being punished for finding work. Meanwhile you have 0 money coming in as you search yet again for another job.

      This is the main reason why people who have been on unemployment for 2 years almost don’t bother looking for a job because they know that government will punish them for trying. It’s easier to just leech off the government dole than risk being homeless on the streets all because you tried and failed.

      Report Post » kingssman  
    • PeachyinGA
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 3:03pm

      The article states that only 1/3 of those in the program are hired on full time. What part of that loosing proposition made the administration say …” Wow, let’s spread that around on a national level!”?

      Report Post » PeachyinGA  
    • ICEDRAGONNITE
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 3:38pm

      More fraud.

      Report Post » ICEDRAGONNITE  
    • NCREPUB
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 3:51pm

      Just a gimmic to get unemployment under 8%.

      Report Post »  
    • pmorgan
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 4:20pm

      Obama is like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar. Just for him the cookie jar is the Taxpayers money and he cannot help but waste as much of it as he can. President Obama will go down as the most wasteful President in this countries history. Thanks to all those who voted for him just to be cool or prove that they are not racists. Thanks so much.

      Report Post »  
    • MAMMY_NUNN
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 6:57pm

      So if they are still receiving unemployment do they still count as unemployed or will that be underemployed. Or is it just a ploy to fudge the numbers.

      Report Post »  
    • jcldwl
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 7:10pm

      Man I am glad I am getting out of my franchise in August.

      Report Post » jcldwl  
  • krispy01
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:58pm

    A bridge too far…

    Report Post » krispy01  
    • pscully17
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:56pm

      Romney leads in the newest poliing and is expanding that lead every day… the only way obama retains power is by force… im putting up my life savings that obama will start a civil war before he realizes a defeat through an election.. you watch!! any takers? there wont be an election. stay tuned.

      Report Post »  
    • pscully17
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:58pm

      heres what to watch… when Scott walker retains his governorship against the communist recall, the fire that burns down this country will be started by the leftwing anarhcists and obamas civilian army…

      Report Post »  
    • PeachyinGA
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:59pm

      A Bridge to Socialism

      Report Post » PeachyinGA  
    • barber2
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 3:04pm

      PS: the continual angry, racist , divisive rhetoric and the daily scandals being released would support your statement. Have certainly never seen such terrible behavior by another political party in power and seeking re-election….

      Report Post »  
    • Copo
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 4:33pm

      PSCULLY17 Haha, a civil war with the liberals. Liberals think guns are evil, the worst they could do is bleed on us.

      Report Post » Copo  
  • sizzlinsexybeckster
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:56pm

    This sounds too fishy and I don’t trust it. I’m actually reading a book on German History and a volume set about Hitler and am on the exact page in our current history. The way they got regular people into these “work camps”, which was the beginning of the concentration camps, was to have a high unemployment rate, high foreclosure rate, high rate of people in desperate need of food… we have that. Also, they took years of indoctrination and made kids wild up and angry (ex: such as the lovely Jerry Springer show on day time t.v. – several times a day – for the millions of latchkey kids), create broken homes, etc., THEN they put it into kids heads to ‘VOLUNTEER’. This is the beginning of exactly what they did before claiming Martial Law in the 1920′s in Germany… (pre-Hitler)… Make kids “volunteer” to the “Free Corps” in exchange for food, etc – these kids rounded up people in churches, schools, homes, and murdered them… millions of them around the country WITH A BLIND MEDIA so normal people didn’t know what was going on. Newspapers reported just a sunny day. Then they pulled people in with the need for jobs… these “work” camps. They lied to everyone -with a smile (Oh Michelle Obama is great at that) – and looked you in the eye and at your children and offered you to work at these camps making them seem like royalty with 3 weeks of vacation on the spot in paid luxury – Into the camp you went to your murder – millions. IT IS HERE.

    Report Post »  
    • Teabunny
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:02pm

      sounded so nice …you said it twice??? lol rasbidanya comrade! sankyou!

      Report Post » Teabunny  
    • luvmykids
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:35pm

      I’d love to read that book. What is the title? It sounds like a real live crystal ball!

      Report Post »  
  • sizzlinsexybeckster
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:54pm

    This sounds too fishy and I don’t trust it.

    I’m actually reading a book on German History and a volume set about Hitler and am on the exact page in our current history. The way they got regular people into these “work camps”, which was the beginning of the concentration camps, was to have a high unemployment rate, high foreclosure rate, high rate of people in desperate need of food… we have that. Also, they took years of indoctrination and made kids wild up and angry (ex: such as the lovely Jerry Springer show on day time t.v. – several times a day – for the millions of latchkey kids), create broken homes, etc., THEN they put it into kids heads to ‘VOLUNTEER’. This is the beginning of exactly what they did before claiming Martial Law in the 1920′s in Germany… (pre-Hitler)… Make kids “volunteer” to the “Free Corps” in exchange for food, etc – these kids rounded up people in churches, schools, homes, and murdered them… millions of them around the country WITH A BLIND MEDIA so normal people didn’t know what was going on. Newspapers reported just a sunny day. Then they pulled people in with the need for jobs… these “work” camps. They lied to everyone -with a smile (Oh Michelle Obama is great at that) – and looked you in the eye and at your children and offered you to work at these camps making them seem like royalty with 3 weeks of vacation on the spot in paid luxury – Into the camp you went to your murder – millions. IT’S HERE.

    Report Post »  
  • Teabunny
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:52pm

    Velcome comrade to the state sponsored vwork programmmm! we have similar “volunteer” program starting in some southern province, georgia or virginia…whichever…is socialist state now, territories do not matter…all under controllll of Glorious government! Hope you enjoy state sponsored paycheck for vworkers….vwe decide you do not need raise or advancement, but at least company does not have to worry about your healthcare, taxes, or any other thing that vwe made up to plague those who would not fall in with state sponsored economy! nostrova comrade! drink deep the glorious new vorld orda! rasbidana!

    Report Post » Teabunny  
  • bcope01
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:52pm

    Insane idea.

    Report Post » bcope01  
  • booger71
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:52pm

    First I’ve heard of it. Negotiated in Feb?

    Report Post » booger71  
  • sjohn70037
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:51pm

    Das rite, I gets me sum obama money whys I flip ambugers ats da birga doodle. I’s axe you, ain’t dat fair?

    Report Post » sjohn70037  
  • inexiletill2012
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:51pm

    Set to be full of fraud and abuse

    Guaranteed

    Report Post » inexiletill2012  
    • Stoic one
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:28pm

      If you are the correct demographic this will not be fraud; it will be reparations .

      Report Post » Stoic one  
  • dont_tax_me_bro
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:51pm

    Its nice to know that Obummer has all of this money to give away. He must have gotten it from his “stash”

    Report Post » dont_tax_me_bro  
  • hauschild
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:44pm

    Another idiotic proposition from a bunch of losers for a bigger bunch of losers.

    How any reasonable mind can tolerate such a low-class mindset is amazing and disappointing.

    Just look at the insanity now – imagine 20 years from now???

    This country is absolutely, positively toast.

    Report Post »  
    • wvernon1981
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:59pm

      20 years from now the unemployment rate will potentially be much higher as machines continue to encroach on areas that were solely the domain of human cognition. Laziness will be the least of our concerns.

      Report Post »  
    • BreeZee
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:02pm

      WTF??? what an IDIOT! hows this IDEA Barry, GET THE F-ING GOV’T OUT OF THE WAY AND LET THE AMERICAN SPIRIT TAKE OVER. People have got to make a choice and it’s not Barry of Mitt, its USA or USSA… I WILL NOT COMPLY if Barry wins. I will go down fighting as a FREE AMERICAN NOT A SOCIALIST!!!

      Report Post »  
  • kickagrandma
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:35pm

    NO! Not only NO! but hell no, you dumb butt (That’s aka “jerk butt”, sir…… Not really, “sir”, but with the ss troops out and about….

    Report Post »  
    • NHwinter
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:48pm

      His No.1 priority is to spend America into oblivion and he sure is succeeding.

      Report Post » NHwinter  
    • DrFrost
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:04pm

      He wants to follow Eurpope’s example, which obviously isn’t working.

      America is getting the leaders they deserve. The left is going to vote for Obama despite the fact that most of them realize he’s done nothing to fix any of our big problems. But somehow they consider anyone with an “R” after their name as worse.

      Obama initially ran on ‘Hope and Change.‘ He’s governed through fear and crisis. Now he’s running for reelection through “Divide and Conquer.” – Chris Plant quoting one of his listeners

      Report Post »  
  • nobull14
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:31pm

    This has to be the Dumbest Idea from Barry Oturd yet!!!!!!!!!

    Report Post »  
    • CatB
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:44pm

      That is saying a LOT .. I would have to say it is behind OBAMACARE!

      Report Post »  
  • jackact
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:31pm

    Have we ever witnessed such hubris in American politics?
    Never.
    This man-boy has no record to run on so this is the type of campaign we have to expect.
    His constituency are the perpetual under acheivers of society.
    Their reward for following his ideology will destroy them in the end.
    And he will retire incredibly wealthy.
    Soon.

    Report Post »  
  • mcsledge
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:28pm

    Nothing like doubling down on employers. First they have to pay unemployment insurance. Now, they have to pay someone that is receiving unemployment benefits. The ultimate double whammy.

    Any one who thinks that Obama cares about employers and the market is an outright idiot.

    Report Post » mcsledge  
  • PeachyinGA
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:27pm

    I used to call that double-dipping, but Bridge to Work sounds much prettier. I’m ashamed to learn this is in Georgia. Where is the incentive to be hired full time only to lose your free income check and transportation?

    Report Post » PeachyinGA  
    • CatB
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:40pm

      Yes … note .. Obamacare is the Affordable Health … my affordable health just went UP another $50+ !

      They come up with a pretty name or phrase that is the opposite of what it really is .. Marxist POS.

      Report Post »  
  • Its Gonna Getcha
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:27pm

    How much in taxes is each person paying to employe just one person under this administration, which they don’t even end up being employed. Might as well just hand the unemployed $30,000 each, or whatever the exhorbant cost.

    Report Post » Its Gonna Getcha  
  • RJJinGadsden
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:26pm

    Because this nation is just not broke enough….yet.
    I can see the same thing applied to those wanting to get off public assistance and have to start with a minimum wage job, and they can work their way upward before the assistance ends. But being paid to job shop and have the chance to quit and still collect unemployment? Somebody below had it right about a lack of common sense.

    Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
  • lukerw
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:24pm

    Another… hand out… gimmick… from the Socialist Minds of Academics!

    Report Post » lukerw  
    • ProbIemSoIver
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:28pm

      Obama is looking for others to experiment with more money that we don’t have?

      Am I in the twilight zone?

      Report Post » ProbIemSoIver  
  • mikee1
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:23pm

    These NEO-SATANIST COMMUNISTS will never quit. If you do not like work, THEN THEY CAN JUST GO BACK ON BIG GOV. PROBLEM IS THE DEBT IS PROJECTED TO 2100. IT CANNOT HAPPEN EVEN WITH DUMMYCRAP DIGITAL MONEY. GAME OVER.

    Report Post » mikee1  
  • AJAYW
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:19pm

    Where oh where oh where has our common sense gone? –.pay for transportation for workers in temporary jobs, I guess the company’s will have to provide them with free lunches as well at this rate..

    Report Post »  
  • Mark0331
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:18pm

    Collect un-employment while ‘testing’ jobs??…what is wrong with our elected offiicials??…this is beyond scary…people have the ability while on un-employment to get training and aid for school…plenty of programs for them for them to better their plight.

    Report Post » Mark0331  
    • AvengerK
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:23pm

      “Testing jobs”? So what do we glean from that? That they’re fussy about where they choose to work? There’s just something very wrong with all that. And the hire rate is abysmal. Why such a low number? These questions need to be addressed.

      Report Post »  
    • Mark0331
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:27pm

      @Avengerk…spot on…what will happen when ‘they’ decide that the job was not a good fit? When a man is thirsty, even a muddy puddle tastes good…any job is better then being on assistance…why does this remind me of ‘cash for clunkers’ in some weird ‘about to fail’ way? So much for self reliance…

      Report Post » Mark0331  
    • booger71
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:50pm

      My boss is mean, I quit. My boss won’t let me smoke a doobie at work, I quit.

      Report Post » booger71  
  • altannt
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:14pm

    Is this guy for real? The president of united states comes up with this? Does everyone get it yet that this bozo has to go!!!!!

    Report Post »  
    • dont_tax_me_bro
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:52pm

      Unfortunately, there are more idiots than common sense people breeding in this country that will vote for him again.

      Report Post » dont_tax_me_bro  
  • Baddoggy
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:12pm

    Moving to the center…hmmmmmmmmmmm will it cost him votes when he tells the lazy and feckless to go to work?

    Report Post » Baddoggy  
  • AJAYW
    Posted on April 19, 2012 at 1:09pm

    I just can’t see how this idiot can even think of this. The congress needsto be stepping in to control him..

    Report Post »  
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