BILL NUMBER: S4049

SPONSOR: RAMOS
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the labor law, in relation to benefits of shared work
programs

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The purpose of the bill is to extend the cap on benefits an employee
participating in the Department of Labor's Shared Work program can
receive to the federal maximum.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends subdivision 1 of section 607 of the Labor Law by amend-
ing the cap on benefits a claimant shall be paid from twenty-six weeks
to twenty-six times the amount of regular compensation (including depen-
dents' allowances) payable to such individual for a week of total unem-
ployment during a benefit year.
              

Section 2 is the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The Shared Work program gives employers an alternative to laying off
their workforce by allowing employees to receive partial unemployment
insurance benefits while working reduced hours. Under current state law,
employee-claimants are limited to receiving 26 weeks of benefits during
a benefit year. However, federal law permits employee-claimants to
receive a maximum of twenty-six times the amount of regular compensation
(including dependents' allowances) payable to such individual for a week
of total unemployment during a benefit year. This bill will therefore
increase the amount of benefits an employee-claimant can receive to the
federal maximum. The Shared Work program is an invaluable resource for
employers and employees alike when times are tough. Employers and
employees should be able to use the Shared Work program to its possible
limits under federal law.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

Not yet determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.