ATLANTA (March 26, 2012) – Sen. Nan Orrock (D-Atlanta) is appalled at the expedited and secretive nature that the House Industrial Relations Committee met this morning with less than an hour’s notice to vote out SB 447. The bill cuts the maximum number of weeks laid-off workers can receive benefits. This will hurt the most for employees and their families who’ve been let go because of budget reductions and no fault of their own. Workers and their families who would have been eligible for up to 26 weeks will get a maximum of 20 weeks, starting this summer if the bill passes. The maximum will drop down to as low as 12 weeks as the unemployment rate declines.