S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
6752
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
May 8, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. LUNSFORD -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Labor
AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to increasing the unemploy-
ment insurance minimum weekly benefit amount
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 5 of section 590 of the labor
law, as amended by section 8 of part O of chapter 57 of the laws of
2013, is amended to read as follows:
(a) A claimant's weekly benefit amount shall be one twenty-sixth of
the remuneration paid during the highest calendar quarter of the base
period by employers, liable for contributions or payments in lieu of
contributions under this article, provided the claimant has remuneration
paid in all four calendar quarters during his or her base period or
alternate base period, BUT SHALL NOT BE LESS THAN SIX HUNDRED FIFTY
DOLLARS. However, for any claimant who has remuneration paid in all four
calendar quarters during his or her base period or alternate base period
and whose high calendar quarter remuneration during the base period is
three thousand five hundred seventy-five dollars or less, the benefit
amount shall be one twenty-fifth of the remuneration paid during the
highest calendar quarter of the base period by employers liable for
contributions or payments in lieu of contributions under this article,
BUT SHALL NOT BE LESS THAN SIX HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS. A claimant's week-
ly benefit shall be one twenty-sixth of the average remuneration paid in
the two highest quarters paid during the base period or alternate base
period by employers liable for contributions or payments in lieu of
contributions under this article when the claimant has remuneration paid
in two or three calendar quarters provided however, that a claimant
whose high calendar quarter is four thousand dollars or less but greater
than three thousand five hundred seventy-five dollars shall have a week-
ly benefit amount of one twenty-sixth of such high calendar quarter, BUT
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10551-01-3
A. 6752 2
SHALL NOT BE LESS THAN SIX HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS. However, for any
claimant who has remuneration paid in two or three calendar quarters
during his or her base period or alternate base period and whose high
calendar quarter remuneration during the base period is three thousand
five hundred seventy-five dollars or less, the benefit amount shall be
one twenty-fifth of the remuneration paid during the highest calendar
quarter of the base period by employers liable for contributions or
payments in lieu of contributions under this article, BUT SHALL NOT BE
LESS THAN SIX HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS. Any claimant whose high calendar
quarter remuneration during the base period is more than three thousand
five hundred seventy-five dollars shall not have a weekly benefit amount
less than [one] SIX hundred [forty-three] FIFTY dollars. The weekly
benefit amount, so computed, that is not a multiple of one dollar shall
be lowered to the next multiple of one dollar. On the first Monday of
September, nineteen hundred ninety-eight the weekly benefit amount shall
not exceed three hundred sixty-five dollars nor be less than forty
dollars, until the first Monday of September, two thousand, at which
time the maximum benefit payable pursuant to this subdivision shall
equal one-half of the state average weekly wage for covered employment
as calculated by the department no sooner than July first, two thousand
and no later than August first, two thousand, rounded down to the lowest
dollar. On and after the first Monday of October, two thousand fourteen,
the weekly benefit shall not be less than one hundred dollars, nor shall
it exceed four hundred twenty dollars until the first Monday of October,
two thousand fifteen when the maximum benefit amount shall be four
hundred twenty-five dollars, until the first Monday of October, two
thousand sixteen when the maximum benefit amount shall be four hundred
thirty dollars, until the first Monday of October, two thousand seven-
teen when the maximum benefit amount shall be four hundred thirty-five
dollars, until the first Monday of October, two thousand eighteen when
the maximum benefit amount shall be four hundred fifty dollars, until
the first Monday of October, two thousand nineteen when the maximum
benefit amount shall be thirty-six percent of the average weekly wage
until the first Monday of October, two thousand twenty when the maximum
benefit amount shall be thirty-eight percent of the average weekly wage,
until the first Monday of October, two thousand twenty-one when the
maximum benefit amount shall be forty percent of the average weekly
wage, until the first Monday of October, two thousand twenty-two when
the maximum benefit amount shall be forty-two percent of the average
weekly wage, until the first Monday of October, two thousand twenty-
three [when the maximum benefit amount]. ON AND AFTER THE FIRST OF
MONDAY OF OCTOBER, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-THREE, THE WEEKLY BENEFIT SHALL
NOT BE LESS THAN SIX HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS, NOR shall [be] IT EXCEED
forty-four percent of the average weekly wage, until the first Monday of
October, two thousand twenty-four when the maximum benefit amount shall
be forty-six percent of the average weekly wage, until the first Monday
of October, two thousand twenty-five when the maximum benefit amount
shall be forty-eight percent of the average weekly wage, until the first
Monday of October, two thousand twenty-six and each year thereafter on
the first Monday of October when the maximum benefit amount shall be
fifty percent of the average weekly wage provided, however, that in no
event shall the maximum benefit amount be reduced from the previous
year.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
have become a law.