Assemblyman Al Stirpe (D-Cicero) announced that he authored and passed legislation to amend the unemployment insurance (UI) benefit formula, helping ensure partially employed New Yorkers can provide for their families (A.446).

“Unemployment insurance enables countless New Yorkers to meet their basic needs, and should serve as a support system as individuals reestablish themselves in the workforce,” said Stirpe. “However, this critical program needlessly penalizes partially unemployed individuals and can even disincentivize working altogether. My legislation reforms the system so that all who are eligible can get the assistance they need and deserve, even while pursuing partial employment.”

Under current law, a UI claimant’s benefit amount is determined by the number of days worked during the week, a system that unjustly limits the amount that workers who’ve seen their hours reduced can receive. Stirpe’s bill replaces the current system with one based on a claimant’s weekly earnings, and ensures partially employed New Yorkers can keep more of their benefits as they continue looking for full employment.

“You never know where your next opportunity will come from, or the steps you’ll have to take to make ends meet should you become unemployed,” said Stirpe. “This will create a system that allows someone on unemployment to pursue partial opportunities, like teaching a class at the YMCA or picking up hours at a local business, without jeopardizing the entire benefit they deserve based on past full employment. This will encourage people to find work while overcoming unemployment.”

As chair of the Assembly Small Business Committee and member of the Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry Committee, Stirpe has continuously fought to expand opportunities and create good-paying jobs in Central New York. Earlier this year, he helped pass a state budget that provided $1 million for the Syracuse Center of Excellence for Environmental and Energy Systems and $100,000 for CenterState CEO.