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YOU CAN NOW COMMENT ON STORIES AND POLLS<br />
LET US KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE ISSUES.<br />
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NEW POLL OVERVIEW:<br />
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State lawmakers are considering a work share bill that supporters say should help prevent layoffs.<br />
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A bill was introduced this month to allow work sharing, where employers facing potential layoffs could instead decrease worker's hours and let employees collect unemployment benefits to make up part of the lost wages.<br />
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Work sharing programs have been used in 23 U.S. states as a way to minimize pink slips and maintain a skilled workforce, making it easier to adapt when demand improves.<br />
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Gov. Rick Snyder called for work share legislation last December in a speech about developing and connecting Michigan's talent.<br />
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President Barack Obama also has backed the idea. The payroll tax cut extension bill he signed in February contained funding to maintain work share programs in 23 states and create programs in others.<br />
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SPECIFICS OF THE BILL ARE:<br />
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An employer decides that instead of laying off workers, it will cut employees' hours from 40 to 30 hours a week, representing a 25 percent reduction in hours. If the employer meets all the criteria set out in the bill, its workers could receive 25 percent of what they would normally receive in unemployment benefits had they been laid off.<br />
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Employers that are up-to-date on their unemployment taxes could only use the program once for a maximum of one year. They couldn't lay off any employees in the affected department during the duration of the plan, which could end up lasting fewer than 52 weeks.<br />
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An argument against the policy is that it's better to let jobs shift and encourage entrepreneurialism and investment in growing sectors of the economy.<br />
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NEW POLL QUESTION:<br />
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Should the Michigan Legislature pass &quot;Work Share</span><span style="font-size: large;">&quot;</span><span style="font-size: large;"> legislation?<br />
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Yes<br />
No<br />
Undecided<br />
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TO VOTE IN THIS POLL CLICK ON THIS LINK<br />
http://www.clinton-countygop.org/content/should-michigan-legislature-pass-%E2%80%9Cwork-share%E2%80%9D-legislation<br />
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(To enter your comments click on </span><span style="font-size: large;">&quot;</span><span style="font-size: large;">Add new comment</span><span style="font-size: large;">&quot;</span><span style="font-size: large;"> after you vote.)<br />
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PREVIOUS POLL QUESTION:<br />
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Should voters approve the </span><span style="font-size: large;">&quot;</span><span style="font-size: large;">Protect Our Jobs</span><span style="font-size: large;">&quot;</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ballot proposal in the November election?<br />
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YES . . . . . . . . . . 6%<br />
NO . . . . . . . . . .91%<br />
UNDECIDED . . . . .3% <br />
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ONE COMMENT WAS MADE ON THIS POLL QUESTION:<br />
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COMMENT #1:<br />
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I have never figured out how to vote in these questionnaires.<br />
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But on this one, my vote would be </span><span style="font-size: large;">&quot;</span><span style="font-size: large;">not just no, but hell no!</span><span style="font-size: large;">&quot;</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
What the real problem is how this stuff is presented to voters. There<br />
will be a huge need to educate people succinctly on the real problems<br />
passage would create.<br />
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