MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republican lawmakers have reinstated a requirement that unemployed people look for work to qualify for benefits.
Democratic Gov. Tony Evers suspended the requirement in March 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic was taking hold in the state, forcing businesses to close.
Lawmakers have extended the suspension for months by passing emergency rules.
The Legislature's Republican-controlled rules committee voted Wednesday to reinstate the requirement beginning next week.
The requirement was slated to automatically be reinstated in July, but Republicans want to move faster to alleviate a shortage of workers as the pandemic wanes and businesses reopen.
Republicans unveiled a bill on Tuesday that would end a $300 weekly federal unemployment supplement.