Labor Department dodges IG plea to tighten jobless rules

Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia isn’t expected to ask Congress to revisit the law that expanded jobless benefits to the self-employed to require proof of earnings when he testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday, according to a department memorandum.

Officials indicated in the same memo that the department sees the issue as one for Congress, and that it would “consult with Congress and offer technical assistance” if lawmakers opt to amend what is now self-certification of earnings. The memo acknowledges “increased potential for fraud.”

The department’s memo Friday to the Office of the Inspector General is an indication that officials are refusing to