We urge the NYS Senate to Pass S549A

We need your help. The Senate is considering an important bill, S549A that addresses New York’s harsh, punishing collection of overpayments of the state’s UI benefits resulting from the state’s mistakes administering benefits and illegal language access barriers. As a result, tens of thousands of working class New Yorkers who were at the epicenter of the pandemic now face thousands of dollars of debt that are poised to plunge them into poverty. This does not need to happen, and S549a would provide immense relief and get New York up to par to other states, with little cost to the state.

We encourage you to call your own local state legislators to ask them to support this bill and push for a vote before session ends next Friday June 9^th! You can find your State Senator at this link.

Please also consider call Senate members in leadership positions such as Senators Stavisky, Stewart-Cousins, Krueger, Breslin, Gianaris, Serrano, Skoufis, Thomas, Mayer, Kennedy, and Hoylman-Sigal. You can reach them at the Senate Switchboard 518-455-2800

Make the following points in your call:

• I am calling you to urge you to pass S549A to address New York’s uniquely punishing and harsh approach to unemployed workers who were at the epicenter of the pandemic.

• While Unemployment is designed to be a critical lifeline for workers, New York State has left tens of thousands of New Yorkers burdened with overpayment debt – threatening to plunge them into poverty.

• The bill creates a waiver process. The federal government has made clear that it does not want workers to pay back their federal UI overpayments. It also creates a state waiver process, which many states already have.

• In addition, this legislation addresses New York State’s uniquely punishing overbroad definition of “fault” and “fraud,” which bars NYS from waiving overpayments.

• Key Messaging: We urge you to pass S549A to help claimants by creating a process that is fair to New Yorkers by adopting federal waivers, creating state waivers, and narrow the definition of “fault” and “fraud.” New York State was among the hardest hit states by the pandemic, and the State should not punish workers struggling to make ends meet for its own mistakes. S549A will provide enormous relief to workers in New York.

Read NCLEJ’s full statement of support here.