Provides unemployment benefits to workers who are partially unemployed; repealer

BILL NUMBER:A11090

Title of bill

An act to amend the labor law, in relation to the calcu- lation of weekly unemployment insurance benefits for workers who are partially unemployed; and to repeal certain provisions of the labor law relating thereto

Purpose of the bill

To ensure that partially unemployed workers have meaningful access to unemployment insurance benefits.

Summary of bill provisions

This bill amends scattered sections of Article 18 of the labor law in order to:

(1) replace the current system for determining eligibility for partial unemployment insurance benefits with a system that is based on the claimant's weekly earnings rather than the number of days the claimant worked during the week; and

(2) establish a system of calculating partial unemployment benefits that utilizes an income disregard.

Justification

New York's unemployment insurance ("UI") program is failing to provide an adequate level of income security for partially unemployed workers and, at the same time, it is creating perverse incen- tives that may discourage claimants from returning to work, Given the shrinking number of full-time jobs available to UI claimants, it is time to better align the UI program's treatment of partially unemployed work- ers with the realities of today's economy. This bill represents a neces- sary step towards ensuring that the UI program provides partially unem- ployed workers with the support they need to meet their.most basic needs.

Prior legislative history

None.

Fiscal implications

There is a potential change in costs for benefits. We recommend asking New York State Department of Labor to estimate these costs for the Assembly.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.