A campaign to increase New York’s unemployment benefits for the first time in a decade has been sidetracked by the political stalemate in Albany. Despite support of the governor, labor leaders and advocates for the unemployed, a bill to raise weekly jobless benefits July 1 was not addressed by state lawmakers before their regular session ended this week. With party leaders distracted by the battle for control of the State Senate, no progress was made.The maximum benefit, which has been $405 a week for about 10 years, is significantly smaller than those available to residents of New Jersey ($584 a week) and Connecticut $576).
“Meanwhile, the unemployment rate keeps going up, more people are losing their jobs,” said James Parrott, chief economist for the Fiscal Policy Institute. “New York doesn’t look good compared to neighboring states.”The Labor Department reports more New Yorkers are out of work than at any time in 30+ years. For May, the state unemployment rate rose to 8.2% and NYC hit 9%.
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