ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York could boost weekly benefits for laid-off workers and delay unemployment tax hikes for employers under a bill that passed the Senate this week. The state Senate unanimously voted Tuesday to pass the legislation sponsored by state Sen. Anna Kaplan, a Democrat of Long Island. The bill now awaits a vote in the Assembly. The office of Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, a Democrat, didn’t immediately respond to request for comment Wednesday. State lawmakers hope to help an economy that’s rebounding but at a slower pace than the nation. New York’s 6.2% unemployment rate in December was more than two points higher than the national rate.
Photo: A sign seeking workers is displayed at a fast food restaurant in Portland, Ore., Monday, Dec. 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
