knowles

Senator Knowles

 Protection from Economic Failure Act

Leslie Knowles Caitlin McClelland, Emilee Masters, Evon O’Brien,Lindsey Baker
 * Sponsors:**
 * Cosponsors: **

The purpose of this bill is to reform the welfare system in order to provide some relief for our economy in its time of crisis.
 * Purpose: **

-20% of people on welfare receive benefits for under 7 months -20% of people on welfare receive benefits for 1-2 years -27% of people on welfare receive benefits for 2-5 years -20% of people on welfare receive benefits for over 5 years
 * Findings: **

In order to receive financial aid from this bill recepients must: -be 18 or older - have held a steady full-time employment for at least a year and earned at least minimum wage - be able to prove that they are actively looking for work throughout the entire time they receive assistance - be a legally able to hold a job in the United States -be responsible for supporting themselves -not have a pending arrest warrant -not have mulitple (meaning more than 1) felony conviction
 * Eligibility: **

Through this financial aid program recipients who fufill __ALL__ of the requirements specified above are entitled to the following benefits:
 * Terms and Benefits **

1. government provided financial aid in the form of government checks and/or food stamps for the specified duration

However the following restrictions will be put in place: 1. After filing for assisstance the recipient (s) of this aid have up to 12 months after being accepted into the program to find stable employment. The amount of assistance received per month shall __NOT__ exceed the amount that the recipient had received per month during his/her last job. If employment is found before the 12 month period is over the recipients will continue to receive a check each month until the 12 month period is over. If his/her new salary amounts to more than they had been receiving previously, the government will be prepared to match the amount of the new salary as long as it does not exceed double their previous salary. If his/her new salary amounts to less than what the applicant was receiving before, then the government will be prepared to continue with the amount of the previous payments until the 12 month period is complete. 2. For each dependent that the recipient has, he/she will be allotted an extra two months of assistance before being ejected from the program. A spouse does not qualify as a dependent. Each adult must apply for assistance separately and fufill the all of the requirements to receive payments. 3. If at __ANY__ time during the allotted period, the recipient fails to comply with the eligibility requirments listed above, he/she __will__ be ejected from the program. 4. If the recipient loses his/her job after having received benefits from this program, he/she may reapply for entrance into the program if the following conditions are satisfied: a) The applicant __MUST__ continue to fufill __ALL__ of the qualifications for initial entrance into the program specified above. b) The applicant MUST have held FULL-TIME emplyoment making at least minimum wage for a period of NO LESS than 12 month s. c) The applicant __MUST NOT__ have lost his/her job due to __ANY__ the following: 1. Numerous unexcused absenses 2. Inadequate job performance 3. Unwillingness to comply with the business related requests of his/her boss/supervisor 4. Unwillingness to follow designated rules and/or policies of the employer 5. Illegal activities resulting in a conviction d) The applicant __MUST__ have established a permanent residence prior to re-applying into the program, and be able to prove that they can maintain and finance that residence. e) The applicant __MUST__ not have a criminal record that is more recent than their original application to the program. 1. If the applicant is reaccepted in to program the following restrictions will be put in place:

A. The restrictions for initial acceptance into the program __STILL__ apply. Any violation of restrictions will result in __IMMEDIATE__ termination of financial assistance. B. After being reaccepted in to the program applicant will have a period of time __NOT__ to exceed 10 months to either reattain previous employment or to find new employment. For each dependent, the recipient will be alloted __NO__ more than an additional month. C. If employment is found before the 10 month period is over, the recipient will __NOT__continue to receive benefits until the 10 month period has expired. Benefits will cease after employment has been proven by recipient. However, the recipient will be allotted an extra 2 months per dependent. If a recipient with (a) dependent (s) finds employment before the allotted amount of time, the recipient will continue to receive benefits until the **__10 month__** period is over, however benefits will __NOT__ be received after **__10 month__s.** D. If, for any reason, the recipient finds his/herself without employment after the 10 month period has expired, he/she may __NOT__ reapply.