Upstate United Calls for Legislative Hearings Regarding New York’s Unemployment Insurance Failures

November 23rd, 2022

Citing a recent audit from Comptroller DiNapoli, Upstate United requests members of the Senate and Assembly to hold hearings.

ROCHESTER, NY – Upstate United, a non-partisan pro-taxpayer organization, released a letter to Senator James Skoufis and Assemblyman John McDonald today urging them to hold hearings involving the New York State Department of Labor’s mismanagement of unemployment insurance claims during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Tuesday, November 15, New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli published a damning audit of DOL’s UI system and processes. The audit found that DOL’s mismanagement ultimately led to at least $11 billion in fraudulent UI payments. New York State currently owes the federal government $7.8 billion for loans that covered unemployment insurance claims during the pandemic.

In the letter, Upstate United’s executive director Justin Wilcox stated: “Employers who pay into the state’s UI system and are currently bearing the burden of the state’s $7.8 billion debt deserve answers. We believe legislative hearings will provide those answers and more.”

The letter to Senator Skoufis and Assemblyman McDonald, who lead investigative committees in the Legislature, can be viewed here: https://upstateunited.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/UU_UI_Hearing_Letter_Final.pdf