Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon (D-Utica/Rome) helped passed legislation to prevent unemployment charges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic from being used to calculate an employer’s experience rating (A.2001-A). These ratings are used to assess unemployment charges on employers that reflect their past unemployment claims.

“Small businesses shouldn’t be penalized for following government-ordered shutdowns that help protect the health and safety of our communities,” Buttenschon said. “This bill will prevent outsized bills from being delivered to our small businesses that had to lay off their employees to survive during this pandemic. I’ll continue standing with our small businesses and working to support them through these trying times so they can recover and grow.”

Due to the economic impacts of COVID-19, an unprecedented number of individuals have sought unemployment benefits. Without this legislation, small businesses would be hit with a massive increase in their unemployment insurance tax rates due to the high amount of unemployment claims. This bill helps ensure small businesses won’t face unnecessary setbacks as they continue to reopen and rebuild, noted Buttenschon.