Idaho’s unemployment insurance (UI) program is generally like any other insurance program. It has the same basic components – an intake of funds from insured entities that go into a pooled reserve from which pre-established, eligible losses some experience are covered (Grollier, 2003). Where it differs is it is government run and the source of funds is taxes on employers pooled into a regulated trust fund, with the output the replacement of partial wages for eligible workers.
Though the basic components are similar, this straightforward comparison is too simplistic for the complex UI machine. Explaining how modern cars work by describing the basic components of an engine combusting gasoline to make wheels turn around and around does not really provide enough insight into the inner workings of the car to understand how it works. There is more to a car’s operation and to make it is easier understand, it’s useful to focus in on one aspect at a time. For our overview of the UI program we will take the same approach and focus on benefits and claimants.
