Torrisi Named to Municipal Unemployment Insurance Taskforce

The Massachusetts Speaker of the House, Robert A. DeLeo, has appointed State Representative David M. Torrisi (D-North Andover) to a newly formed Municipal Unemployment Insurance Taskforce.  The taskforce will meet for the first time this month.

The purpose of the Municipal Unemployment Insurance Taskforce is to consider issues around municipal employees receiving UI benefits, particularly teachers during the summer, school bus drivers, public safety employees reaching the maximum service age of 65, salaried members of boards and commissions and any other issues that may develop from the review of submissions received from cities and towns. The short-term initiative of the taskforce will ultimately be to make recommendations for improving the UI system for employers and employees.

“As former chairman of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development and as a longtime supporter of issues affecting the business community, I am honored by my appointment to the Municipal Unemployment Insurance Taskforce,” said Representative Torrisi.  “I look forward to working with the other members of the taskforce to improve our UI system for employers and employees, as well as recommend ways to cut down on unnecessary spending by our communities.”

In addition to Representative Torrisi, the eight member taskforce will include representatives from the labor industry, representatives from municipalities, a designee from the Senate President, as well as public and taxpayer representatives.  Finally, the Municipal Unemployment Insurance Taskforce will be chaired by Joanne F. Goldstein, the Secretary of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.