Nebraska Chambers Support Bills for People to Gain Full-Time Employment

The Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce and Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry backed two bills, LB255 and LB 1049, designed to help people transition from multiple part-time jobs into full-time employment.

The bills, introduced by Omaha Senator John McCollister and Lincoln Senator Kate Bolz, look to minimize the “cliff effect” of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Nebraska’s childcare subsidy. Instead of ending families’ participation in these programs as soon as earnings exceed federal poverty requirements, they offer a step program as the need for benefits lessens.

“Employees are offered promotions, pay increases, and additional hours, and some employees are faced with very difficult decisions,” said Leslie Andersen, chief executive officer of Bank of Bennington and Omaha Chamber board member. “Take the promotion, take the pay increase, move from part- to full-time, and lose the assistance that has been helping their families get by.”

LB 255 allows working families to advance in employment and training programs, realize greater earnings, or achieve new, better-paying employment without an immediate loss of SNAP support.

LB1049 expands the income eligibility limits of Nebraska’s childcare subsidy by using excess revenues in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families fund.