The Role of the Public Employment Service in the Unemployment Compensation Program

Abstract

It would appear inevitable to any student of the problem of administration of unemployment compensation that the public employment service must be closely coirdinated with the administrative machinery provided to carry out such an enterprise. The entire history of European experience with various forms of unemployment insurance indicates the essential nature of this relationship, and it was recognized by Congress in passing the Social Security Act through the inclusion of a provision that the payment of unemployment compensation benefits should be through public employment offices or other agencies approved by the Social Security Board.1 In the preliminary development of plans for administration of unemployment compensation, the Social Security Board seems to be contemplating the exclusive use of the Employment Service for these purposes. It therefore is pertinent to inquire with respect to the possible nature of such relationships and the part which the Employment Service should play in this program.