Senate Bill S9382A

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Authorizes a claimant to receive a dependent allowance in addition to unemployment insurance benefits

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Labor Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Apr 23, 2026	print number 9382a
Apr 23, 2026	amend and recommit to labor
Mar 06, 2026	referred to labor

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

co-Sponsors

2025-S9382 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A9643
Current Committee:: Senate Labor
Law Section:: Labor Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §590, Lab L

2025-S9382 - Summary

Provides that a claimant eligible to receive unemployment insurance benefits shall also be entitled to receive a dependent allowance which shall begin at forty-five dollars and shall increase annually by an amount determined by the department of labor; directs the department of labor to report to the legislature following each calendar quarter certain information about dependent allowances and to make such reports available on its website; provides that a claimant's maximum benefit amount, including such dependent allowance, shall not exceed one hundred percent of such claimant's average weekly wage from their highest-earning calendar quarter.

2025-S9382 - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9382

SPONSOR: JACKSON
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the labor law, in relation to authorizing a claimant to
receive a dependent allowance in addition to unemployment insurance
benefits

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends subdivision 1 of section 590 of the labor law by adding
a new subdivision 13 which defines a "dependent" and states that an
unemployment benefit claimant with a dependent in the household will
also be entitled to a dependent allowance of 45 dollars per dependent
per week.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Unemployment insurance is a vital part of the social safety net that
allows workers and their families to meet their basic needs while
searching for work. A dependent allowance supplements a claimant's week-

ly unemployment insurance benefit based on their number of household
dependents. Studies show that households with children are much more
likely to face food and housing insecurity when a job is lost. House-
holds headed by a single mother have the highest rates of food insecuri-
ty, with nearly 24% experiencing low or very low food security in 2024.
Nondiscretionary expenses for caregivers - which include childcare,
groceries and diapers - are more expansive than those for households
without dependents. As a targeted intervention, dependent allowances can
help ensure that workers are able to support themselves and their fami-
lies while they are between jobs. As of 2021, 13 states offered some
version of a dependent allowance.  However, variation in which household
members are considered "dependent", in addition to a lack of data
collection at the federal level, make it difficult to measure their
exact impact. Generally, unemployment insurance functions as an impor-
tant economic stabilizer, generating as much as $1.61 in economic activ
ity for every dollar spent. This bill offers an expansive definition of
dependent, including children, foster children and step children under
the age of 18, full time students up to the age of 26, non-working
adults in the household aged 60 and older, and adults with disabilities
- acknowledging the broad range of caregiving responsibilities that
workers experience.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2025-S9382 - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9382
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               March 6, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. JACKSON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Labor
 
 AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to authorizing a claimant  to
   receive  a  dependent  allowance in addition to unemployment insurance
   benefits
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section  1.  Section  590  of the labor law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 13 to read as follows:
   13. DEPENDENT ALLOWANCE. (A) IN  ADDITION  TO  THE  BENEFITS  RECEIVED
 PURSUANT  TO  THIS  SECTION, A CLAIMANT ELIGIBLE FOR SUCH BENEFITS SHALL
 ALSO BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE A DEPENDENT ALLOWANCE. SUCH DEPENDENT ALLOW-
 ANCE SHALL BE EQUAL TO FORTY-FIVE DOLLARS PER DEPENDENT PER WEEK.
   (B) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THE TERM  "DEPENDENT"  SHALL
 MEAN:
   (I)  CHILDREN  EIGHTEEN  YEARS OLD AND YOUNGER, INCLUDING FOSTER CHIL-
 DREN, STEPCHILDREN, AND CHILDREN FOR WHOM  THE  CLAIMANT  HAS  AT  LEAST
 FIFTY PERCENT CUSTODY IN A SHARED CUSTODY ARRANGEMENT;
   (II) FULL-TIME STUDENTS UP TO THE AGE OF TWENTY-SIX;
   (III) NONWORKING ADULTS IN THE HOUSEHOLD AGES SIXTY AND OLDER; AND
   (IV) ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE HOUSEHOLD.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14162-01-5

co-Sponsors

2025-S9382A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A9643
Current Committee:: Senate Labor
Law Section:: Labor Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §590, Lab L

2025-S9382A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S9382A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9382A

SPONSOR: JACKSON
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the labor law, in relation to authorizing a claimant to
receive a dependent allowance in addition to unemployment insurance
benefits

 
PURPOSE:

Authorizes a claimant to receive a dependent allowance in addition to
unemployment insurance benefits.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends subdivision 1 of section 590 of the labor law by adding
a new subdivision 13.

Subsection (a) defines a "dependent."

Subsection (b) states that an unemployment benefit claimant with a

dependent in the household will also be entitled to a dependent allow-
ance of 45 dollars per dependent per week and provides for the dependent
allowance to increase annually in accordance with the Consumer Price
Index.

Subsection (c) sets forth that the dependent allowance shall be consid-
ered part of the claimant's unemployment benefit and subject to the
associated due process and appeal rights.

Subsection (d) directs the Department of Labor to request information
relating to whether a claimant has any dependents as part of the initial
application for benefits.

Subsection (e) sets forth that the number of dependents established for
a claimant shall remain constant for the duration of the benefit year.

Subsection (f) establishes that an individual may only be determined to
be a dependent for a single claimant.

Subsection (e) creates monthly data collection and reporting require-
ments for the Department of Labor regarding the dependent allowance.

Subsection (f) establishes that the dependent allowance shall not affect
an employer's tax obligations, and that an employer shall not be consid-
ered an interested party with respect to the dependent allowance portion
of a claimant's weekly benefit.

Subsection (g) directs the Department of Labor to notify a claimant of
the total amount of the dependent allowance, the number of dependents
established for the claimant and the calculation determining the claim-
ant's benefit.

Section 2 amends paragraph (a) of subdivision 5 of section 590 of the
labor law to specify that the maximum amount a claimant may receive -
pursuant to subdivision 13, in combination with their regular unemploy-
ment benefit - is 100% of the claimant's average weekly wage from that
claimant's highest earning quarter.
 
JUSTIFICATION:

Unemployment insurance is a vital part of the social safety net that
allows workers and their families to meet their basic needs while
searching for work. A dependent allowance supplements a claimant's week-
ly unemployment insurance benefit based on their number of household
dependents.

Studies show that households with children are much more likely to face
food and housing insecurity when a job is lost. Households headed by a
single mother have the highest rates of food insecurity, with nearly 24%
experiencing low or very low food security in 2024 .  Nondiscretionary
expenses for caregivers including childcare, groceries and diapers are
more expensive than those for households without dependents. Dependent
allowances serve as a targeted intervention to help ensure that workers
are able to support themselves and their families while they are between
jobs.

As of 2021, 13 states offered some version of a dependent allowance.
However, variation in which household members are considered "depend-
ent," in addition to a lack of data collection at the federal level,
make it difficult to measure their exact impact. Generally, unemployment
insurance functions as an important economic stabilizer, generating as
much as $1.61 in economic activity for every dollar spent.

This bill offers an expansive definition of dependent, including chil-
dren, foster children and step children under the age of 18, full time
students up to the age of 26, non-working adults in the household aged
60 and older, and adults with disabilities - acknowledging the broad
range of caregiving responsibilities that workers experience.

This bill has been amended to include a number of new provisions and
protections, delineated in the summary of provisions.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2025-S9382A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  9382--A
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               March 6, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sens. JACKSON, SALAZAR -- read twice and ordered printed,
   and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Labor --  commit-
   tee  discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recom-
   mitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to authorizing a claimant  to
   receive  a  dependent  allowance in addition to unemployment insurance
   benefits

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Section  590  of the labor law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 13 to read as follows:
   13. DEPENDENT ALLOWANCE. (A) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THE
 TERM "DEPENDENT" SHALL MEAN:
   (I) CHILDREN EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD AND YOUNGER, INCLUDING   FOSTER  CHIL-
 DREN,  STEPCHILDREN,  AND  CHILDREN  FOR  WHOM THE CLAIMANT HAS AT LEAST
 FIFTY PERCENT CUSTODY IN A SHARED CUSTODY ARRANGEMENT;
   (II) FULL-TIME STUDENTS UP TO THE AGE OF TWENTY-SIX;
   (III) NONWORKING ADULTS IN THE HOUSEHOLD AGES SIXTY AND OLDER; AND
   (IV) ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE HOUSEHOLD.
   (B) IN ADDITION TO THE BENEFITS RECEIVED PURSUANT TO THIS  SECTION,  A
 CLAIMANT  ELIGIBLE FOR SUCH BENEFITS SHALL ALSO BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE A
 DEPENDENT ALLOWANCE. BEGINNING ON THE EFFECTIVE DATE  OF  THIS  SUBDIVI-
 SION,  SUCH DEPENDENT ALLOWANCE SHALL BE EQUAL TO FORTY-FIVE DOLLARS PER
 DEPENDENT PER WEEK.   THE  AMOUNT  OF  SUCH  DEPENDENT  ALLOWANCE  SHALL
 INCREASE  ANNUALLY ACCORDING TO THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX ON MARCH FIRST,
 BY AN AMOUNT DETERMINED BY  THE  DEPARTMENT  TO  REPRESENT  THE  PERCENT
 CHANGE  IN  THE PRICE INDEX PUBLISHED FOR DECEMBER OF THE PRECEDING YEAR
 OVER THE PRICE INDEX PUBLISHED FOR DECEMBER OF THE  YEAR  PRIOR  TO  THE
 PRECEDING  YEAR,  ADJUSTED  TO THE NEAREST ONE TENTH OF ONE PERCENT. THE
 DEPARTMENT SHALL REPORT THE ANNUAL INCREASE OF SUCH DEPENDENT  ALLOWANCE
 TO  THE  LEGISLATURE  AND  SHALL PUBLISH THE CURRENT DEPENDENT ALLOWANCE
 AMOUNT IN A PROMINENT LOCATION ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14162-03-6
 S. 9382--A                          2

 
   (C) THE AMOUNT OF THE DEPENDENT ALLOWANCE A CLAIMANT RECEIVES PURSUANT
 TO THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL BE CONSIDERED PART OF SUCH CLAIMANT'S  BENEFIT
 AMOUNT AND SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE SAME DUE PROCESS AND APPEAL RIGHTS.
   (D) FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING A CLAIMANT'S ELIGIBILITY TO RECEIVE
 A DEPENDENT ALLOWANCE PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL
 REQUEST INFORMATION RELATING TO WHETHER A CLAIMANT HAS ANY DEPENDENTS AS
 PART OF THE INITIAL APPLICATION FOR BENEFITS.
   (E)  THE NUMBER OF DEPENDENTS ESTABLISHED FOR A CLAIMANT AT THE BEGIN-
 NING OF A BENEFIT YEAR SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRETY  OF  SUCH
 BENEFIT YEAR.
   (F)  AN  INDIVIDUAL THAT IS DETERMINED TO BE A DEPENDENT OF A CLAIMANT
 MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED A DEPENDENT OF ANOTHER CLAIMANT FOR PURPOSES OF  A
 DEPENDENT ALLOWANCE WITH RESPECT TO THE SAME WEEKLY BENEFIT.
   (E) NO LATER THAN THE END OF THE MONTH FOLLOWING EACH COMPLETED CALEN-
 DAR QUARTER, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE A WRITTEN REPORT TO THE LEGIS-
 LATURE  ON  DEPENDENT  ALLOWANCES PROVIDED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION,
 AND SHALL MAKE SUCH REPORT PUBLICLY AVAILABLE IN A PROMINENT LOCATION ON
 THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE. SUCH REPORT SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFOR-
 MATION FROM THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING CALENDAR QUARTER, DEIDENTIFIED AND
 DISAGGREGATED BY RACE, ETHNICITY, GENDER, LOCATION AND POVERTY LEVEL:
   (I) THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CLAIMANTS CLAIMING A DEPENDENT ALLOWANCE;
   (II) THE AVERAGE WEEKLY DEPENDENT ALLOWANCE AMOUNT;
   (III) THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF DEPENDENTS CLAIMED BY A  CLAIMANT,  BROKEN
 DOWN BY THE TYPE OF DEPENDENT; AND
   (IV)  INFORMATION  ON  THE NUMBER OF DEPENDENT ALLOWANCE APPEALS FILED
 AND THE OUTCOMES OF SUCH APPEALS.
   (F) (I) AN EMPLOYER SHALL NOT BE CHARGED  FOR  A  DEPENDENT  ALLOWANCE
 RECEIVED BY A CLAIMANT PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION.
   (II)  AN  EMPLOYER  SHALL  NOT  BE CONSIDERED AN INTERESTED PARTY WITH
 RESPECT TO A DEPENDENT ALLOWANCE RECEIVED BY A CLAIMANT  AND  SHALL  NOT
 HAVE ANY RIGHT TO CONTEST SUCH DEPENDENT ALLOWANCE.
   (G)  THE  DEPARTMENT  SHALL PROVIDE NOTICE TO A CLAIMANT OF THE WEEKLY
 DEPENDENT ALLOWANCE AMOUNT, THE DEPENDENT OR DEPENDENTS ESTABLISHED  FOR
 SUCH  CLAIMANT  AND  THE CALCULATION USED TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF THE
 DEPENDENT ALLOWANCE IN SUCH CLAIMANT'S MONETARY DETERMINATION.
   § 2. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 5 of section 590 of the  labor  law,
 as amended by section 3 of part KK of chapter 56 of the laws of 2025, 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 such claimant's base period or
 alternate base period. However, for any claimant  who  has  remuneration
 paid in all four calendar quarters during such claimant's 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  contrib-
 utions  under  this  article.  A  claimant's weekly benefit shall be one
 twenty-sixth of the average remuneration paid in the two  highest  quar-
 ters  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
 S. 9382--A                          3
 
 is  four  thousand  dollars or less but greater than three thousand five
 hundred seventy-five dollars shall have a weekly benefit amount  of  one
 twenty-sixth  of  such  high calendar quarter. However, for any claimant
 who  has remuneration paid in two or three calendar quarters during such
 claimant's 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 quar-
 ter of the base period by employers liable for contributions or payments
 in lieu of contributions under this article.  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 bene-
 fit amount less than one hundred forty-three 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-five  when  the
 maximum  benefit amount shall be eight hundred sixty-nine dollars, until
 the first Monday of October, two thousand twenty-six and each year ther-
 eafter 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, AND PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT IN NO EVENT SHALL THE MAXIMUM
 BENEFIT AMOUNT, INCLUDING THE AMOUNT OF A DEPENDENT ALLOWANCE A CLAIMANT
 RECEIVES  PURSUANT  TO  SUBDIVISION THIRTEEN OF THIS SECTION, EXCEED ONE
 HUNDRED PERCENT OF SUCH CLAIMANT'S AVERAGE WEEKLY WAGE FROM SUCH  CLAIM-
 ANT'S HIGHEST-EARNING CALENDAR QUARTER.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Senate Bill S9382A

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Labor Committee

Actions

Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

2025-S9382 - Details

2025-S9382 - Summary

2025-S9382 - Sponsor Memo

2025-S9382 - Bill Text download pdf

co-Sponsors

2025-S9382A (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S9382A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S9382A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S9382A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

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Senate Bill S9382A

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Sponsored By

Robert Jackson

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Labor Committee

Actions

Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

Julia Salazar

2025-S9382 - Details

2025-S9382 - Summary

2025-S9382 - Sponsor Memo

2025-S9382 - Bill Text download pdf

co-Sponsors

Julia Salazar

2025-S9382A (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S9382A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S9382A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S9382A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments