A Critical Analysis of Unemployment Insurance

307 Pages·15.21 MB·English

by  Brady, Eleanor Gray

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FORDHAM UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE SCHOOL
May 15, 19.pl
This dissertation prepared under my direction by
Eleanor Gray Brady
entitled ........4..CRITICAL..MALYSIS...OF...mMP^OmML..IlISURM.GE.
has been accepted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the
Degree of Doctor o f Philosophy
(Faculty Adviser)
!_

A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
BY
ELEANOR GRAY BRADY
A.B., Hunter College, *47
A.M., Fordham University, f49
DISSERTATION
SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE DEPARTMENT
OF POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY AT FORDHAM UNIVERSITY
NEW YORK
1951
ProQuest Number: 10992953
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page
LIST OF TABLES........................................
APPENDIXES........................................... V1
I. OBJECTIVES OF UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ........ 1
Original Concept
Wide Economic Implications
Scope of Study
II. ADEQUACY, OF PROVISIONS..........................18
Coverage
Eligibility and Disqualifications
Benefits for Total and. Partial
Unemployment
Dependents* Allowances
Duration of Benefits
III. ADMINISTRATION OF EMPLOYMENT SECURITY . . . . 78
Organization and Financing
Benefit Claims
Appeals
Fraud
IV. FINANCING OF UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS . 95
Financial Data
Financial Solvency of the Trust Fund
Experience Rating
V. PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT SERVICE ........... . 145
Principles and Objectives
USES Activities
Operations
Recommendations
VI. RAILROAD UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ............. 156
Coverage
Eligibility and Disqualifications
Benefits and Duration
Recommendations
VII. GENERAL PUBLIC ASSISTANCE........................171
Relation between Unemployment and
Public Assistance
Financing
Recipients and Total Payments
Benefit Payments
Recommendations
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Chapter Page
VIII. RECOMMEUDATIOUS 184
Coverage
Eligibility and Disqualifications
Benefits
Duration of Benefits
Admini st ration
Financing of Unemployment
Insurance Benefits
Public Employment Service
Public Employment Insurance
General Public Assistance
BIBLIOGRAPHY 286
L.
V
r "1
LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
I. FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS, Study 1. .118
II. FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS, Study 2. .120
III. FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS, Studies
3 ana 4- * * * • * • * • . * • . . . .122
IV. FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS, Study 3. .124
V. FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS, Study 4. .126
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VI
APPENDIXES n
APPENDIX A-Benefits
Table Page
A-I Average weekly total wages of covered workers 192
A-II Average weekly taxable wages .................. 1951
A—III Average weekly benefit amounts for total
unemployment................................. 198
A-IV Ratio of average weekly benefit amount for
total unemployment to average weekly 201
total wages ...................................
A-V Ratio of average weekly benefit amount for
total unemployment to average weekly
taxable w a g e ................................. 204-
APPENDIX B-Duration of Benefits
Table Page
B-I Average potential duration for claimants
establishing benefit right's.................... 207
B-II Estimated average duration for beneficiaries. 209
B-III Number of exhaustions of benefit rights. . . 212
B-IV Exhaustions for calendar year as percent
of first payments............................ 218
APPENDIX C—Financial Data
Table
C-I Average employer contribution r a t e ......... . • 221
C-II Amount of contributions col3_ected..............223
C—III Benefit disbursements under State
unemployment insurance laws.................... 229
C-IV Interest earned and credited to the
Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. . . . . . 23?
C—V Funds available for benefits . . . . . . . . . 2^1
C-VI Ratio of benefits to taxable wages............. 2b7
C-FII Ratio of funds available at end of
year to taxable wages........................... 2*+9
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1
r APPENDIX D-Financial Solvency of the Trust
Fund Table
Table Page
D-I Contributions, Studies 3 and 4 ......... . . . . 251
D-II Contributions, Studies 1,2,3, and 4 . . • . • • 253
D-III Benefit payments, Studies 3 and 4. • . . . . . 255
D-IV Benefit payments, Studies 1 and 3. . . . . . • 257
D-V Benefit payments, Studies 2 and 4 . . . . . . . 259
D-VI Interest, Study 1 ............. 2ol
D-VII Interest, Study 2............. 263
D—VIII Interest, Studies 3 and 4 . . . . . . . . . . 265
D—IX Interest, Study 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26?
D-X Interest, Study 4 ...................................269
APPENDIX E-Railroad Unemployment Insurance
Table
E-I Operations under the railroad unem­
ployment insurance account . .................... 271
E-II Operations under the railroad un­
employment insurance administration fund. • • • 272
APPENDIX F-General Public Assistance
Table
F-I Expenditures for assistance and ad­
ministration:
Percentage distribution of Federal, State,
and local funds, by program and State, 1949* • • ^73
F-II Expenditures for assistance and administra­
tion:
Amount and percentage distribution by
program and source of funds for each
State, 1949 • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 277
F-III Public assistance: Recipients............. 281
F—IV Public assistance: Total payments . . . . . . . 282
F-V Public assistance: Average monthly payment • • • 283
F-VI General assistance: Average payments, by
State, August 1930..................'............. 28a-
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