CONCORD, N.H.—Gov. John Lynch is weighing whether to sign a bill that makes it harder for people who steal from their employers to qualify for unemployment in New Hampshire.
The bill changes the definition of gross misconduct for the purposes of qualifying for unemployment, reduces the amount of work-related theft resulting in a loss of wage credits toward unemployment and disqualifies jobless workers fired for stealing between $100 and $250 from receiving benefits for four to 26 weeks.
A worker who steals more than $250 would lose all wage credits earned prior to dismissal. Current law sets the threshold at $500 for losing all credits.
Lynch has until midnight Wednesday to act on the bill.
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