Upstate United Calls for Relief from Rising Unemployment Insurance Costs

November 12th, 2021

The following statement is attributable to Justin Wilcox, executive director of Upstate United.

New federal data on New York’s UI loan balance can be found here: https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/datasets/ssa-title-xii-advance-activities/advances-to-state-unemployment-funds-social-security-act-title-xii

“Earlier this week, the U.S. Treasury Department revealed that New York still owes the federal government $9 billion from unemployment insurance loans. We need our leaders in Albany to allocate a portion of unspent federal aid to alleviate employers’ rising UI costs as soon as possible.

Given the extraordinary challenges that employers are facing – including labor shortages and high inflation – they simply can’t afford a $9 billion tax hit. Governor Hochul knows that New York won’t recover until our small businesses recover. Delivering much-needed UI relief would be a big help to those small businesses.”