December 15, 2011
A recent, hotly debated proposed law in Georgia would require out-of-work residents to perform at least 24 hours of community service with a nonprofit in order to receive unemployment benefits. Senator John Albers has said the the “Dignity for the Unemployed Act” is meant to “encourage good stewardship of state resources," among other benefits.
Supporters of the Act say the volunteer activities are important to build the morale, skills, and networks of job seekers. Additional volunteers can also supplement gaps in support felt by nonprofits. “When you’re helping our citizens serve other people and serve charities, only good can come of it,” Senator Albers told CNN.
Opponents say the unemployed can’t afford the time away from their job search, and the required transportation costs could add undue financial stress. "I do charity work," Joyce Wilson told CBS Atlanta. "I don’t need anyone to tell me to do it and if they are going to make it mandatory, they need to give me a little something for my gas.”
CBS Atlanta asked job seekers how they felt about the proposed bill. One job seeker who supported the measure, Arnie Isaacson, commented "If you are unemployed, 24 hours is nothing – you have 80 hours just sitting around. If it helps the state, if it helps the system, we all need to chip in. These are very difficult times." Another job seeker, Kezia Holston, seemed unsure, saying "community service is a good thing, but I don’t know if it is the right thing at the time."
Georgia is currently experiencing unemployment rates above the national average (10.2% statewide vs. 9.0% nationally in October). This is an ongoing trend for the state– Georgia has surpassed the national unemployment rate for 51 consecutive months.
Civic health research found that ~1@BODYURL[id=114kcurl409]@ is one of the bottom-ranked locations when it comes to volunteering; it is ranked 41st out of 50 states with a rate of 23.9% (national average is 26.5%).
NCoC research has suggested a connection between civic engagement rates and a community’s unemployment levels. A 2011 issue brief, “Civic Health and Unemployment: Can Engagement Strengthen the Economy?” found that areas with high civic health had experienced a smaller overall growth in unemployment. While these preliminary findings are encouraging, NCoC plans to explore the data and this connection further.
We want to hear from you…
Are bills such as this a win-win for the unemployed, nonprofits, and communities writ large? Or is it an unfair mandate on citizens already experiencing great personal challenges?