By Dave Lucas
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-910511.mp3
Albany, NY – As state lawmakers try to put the wraps on the New York state budget, labor officials are throwing their support behind legislation that would raise unemployment benefits. Capital District Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports.
Nearly 590,000 people in the state collected unemployment benefits last month, including 29,000 in the Capital Region. New York's jobless are doing their best to make ends meet, with the some of lowest unemployment benefits in the country: the maximum benefit was set at $405 a week back in 1998, but the average payout is approx. $330 weekly, which officials say amounts to mere 36 percent of the average weekly wage. State Labor Commissioner Colleen Gardner says the way New York's UI Tax System is currently structured, the supply of funds simply cannot keep up with the demand.
By comparison, Massachusetts pays its unemployed $943 a week. Gardner is working with labor commissioners in neighboring states to try to convince Congress to extend unemployment benefits. She's leading the call in Albany, urging state lawmakers to pass Governor David Paterson's proposal to increase benefits by $70 a week.
Cash-strapped New Yorkers should also keep in mind that at year's end they'll have to pay federal and state taxes on those unemployment benefits... For six out of the last 10 years, the state's Trust Fund has been insolvent.
For those still searching for jobs, getting back into the workforce is getting more difficult. Job postings in the Capital Region dropped again this past week, coming in at just over 4850, down from 5100 last week and 5600 the previous week. Dan Moran is with NextAct of Colonie: "Lingering concerns over the State budget situation and uncertainties in the market appear to be sending message of caution and that is reflected in hiring plans...while down this past few weeks, job postings are far better than last year at this time. For the month of June, postings were up 66% over 2009 for the same period and that is certainly good news".
The Capital Region continues to outpace Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse for job postings. The Capital Region is the smallest of all these markets as well. Governor Paterson's bill to raise unemployment benefits, if passed, would go into effect next year. Labor officials point out that if legislation is NOT passed, New York's Trust Fund will not become solvent until 2018.