Many Staten Islanders in need miss out on food stamps, By Judy L. Randall, May 13, 2013, Staten Island Advance: “The way Saeeda Usmani sees it, her participation in the federal food stamp program has been a godsend. At 71, the retired nurse from Stapleton couldn’t afford to maintain her medically mandated gluten-free diet, which can be pricey, without assistance. As it is, because Ms. Usmani tires easily, she goes to the supermarket only every three weeks and carefully husbands the fresh fruits and vegetables that she purchases with the $173 she receives each month from the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), the current name for food stamps. But Ms. Usmani is something of a rarity among SNAP-eligible low-income Staten Islanders 60 and older: Only 23 percent participate in the program here, the lowest percentage among the five boroughs…”
Day: May 13, 2013
Jobless Benefits – Wisconsin, Florida
- Measure requiring 4 work searches per week for jobless benefits passes, By Jason Stein, May 13, 2013, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “Jobless workers getting state benefits could have to double their number of work searches to at least four per week from two currently – raising Wisconsin’s requirements to among the highest in the nation, under a provision approved by the Legislature’s budget committee Monday. The Joint Finance Committee voted 12-4 along party lines to approve the changes proposed by Gov. Scott Walker to allow his administration to impose an even higher number of work searches across the state or in specific regions, putting Wisconsin at the lead nationally for work requirements for unemployment insurance. Workers would need to comply with the requirements in order to keep receiving their benefits…”
- Sequester forces 4-week cut in jobless benefits, By Jim Stratton, May 13, 2013, Orlando Sentinel: “Florida will soon slash four weeks of unemployment benefits to laid-off workers nearing the end of their eligibility. The reduction is happening because of the so-called sequestration, the automatic federal budget cuts that began in March. Up to 100,000 laid-off workers could be have their benefits cut off. Florida’s maximum weekly payment is $275 a week, so a four-week cut could cost the jobless up to $1,100. The average person will lose about $924, the state said…”