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New York’s unemployed get shot in the arm from stimulus package
By June Lamba-Lutwana
Posted on [2009-03-18 12:38:22]
More than one million unemployed New Yorkers will benefit from unemployment insurance compensation provisions included the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) signed into law by President Obama Feb. 17. , according to New York State Deputy Commissioner for Employment Security Nancy Dunphy. Making the announcement at the White Plains One-Stop Career center March 9, Dunphy, together with Congresswoman Nita Lowey and Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano said 95,000 people in the Hudson Valley alone will benefit from them. The economic impact of the provisions is estimated at $200 million in the Hudson Valley and $2.1 billion state wide.
According to Congress woman Lowey, the AARA unemployment provisions will be the driving force for job creation in the coming months. "The economic stimulus plan signed into law will be the engine that drives job growth in emerging industries in the months and years ahead. But in the interim, it will also provide critical relief for the most vulnerable, including unemployment insurance for those who have lost their job. I am pleased this extension and expansion of UI benefits will have such a positive impact on so many in our region," she said.
Among other things the ARRA provisions will benefit unemployed New Yorkers by allowing new claims for extended unemployment benefits to be made through December 31, 2009, with benefits payable through May 31. They will also increase weekly unemployment insurance benefits by $25 through December 31, 2009 as well as suspending the federal income tax on the first $2,400 of unemployment insurance benefits per recipient. New York State Labor Commissioner M. Patricia Smith urged unemployed New Yorkers to visit their local One-Stop Career Centers to take advantage of opportunities created by the provisions, adding that the federal stimulus bill will provide funds for worker training. "The federal stimulus bill also includes funds for worker training, which will become available to states very soon. It is important for workers to remain in contact with their local One-Stop so that they may take advantage of appropriate training opportunities that become available," she said. County Executive Spano said Westchester County had already started using ARRA money.
"In Westchester County, we have already received the go-ahead to use federal stimulus dollars to start road repair and construction projects that will create jobs. We are also seeking funds to help those affected by foreclosures, and our One-Stop Employment Center plans to use stimulus funds to retrain workers for new green jobs. All these efforts combined will add up to a powerful shot in the arm for the local economy, "he said. Individuals are encouraged to check the Department of Labor's web site at www.labor.ny.gov for current information regarding unemployment insurance, including extended benefits, eligibility rules and instructions on how to apply.  |
