NY: Don't deny unemployment for this inane reason. We've lost enough already.
NY: Don't deny unemployment for this inane reason. We've lost enough already.
Why this petition matters
COVID-19 changes allow part-time and self-employed workers to claim unemployment benefits, as well as the ability to claim partial benefits if you only lost part of your work due to COVID-19. However, they require you to report any day on which you worked as if it were a full workday - even if you only worked LESS THAN AN HOUR on that day.
Part-time, self-employed, contractors, and gig workers - all of whom are supposedly getting relief from the new COVID laws - are usually paid on an hourly basis and cannot usually choose when their services are needed. They may get one billable hour of work on each of 5 days, resulting in them getting 5% of their usual income and ZERO unemployment support.
The NYS unemployment rule that does not differentiate between one minute and one day of work makes no sense and does more harm than good. It encourages dishonesty and non-productivity because many are choosing not to work at all rather than get paid for an hour and forfeit the full benefit. Many do not even have this choice because their business will permanently lose traction if they do not hustle for the small amount of work that's available now.
Please join me in convincing New York State that their eligibility rules need to differentiate between partial and full workdays. They can measure hours instead of days, count the actual earnings, or differentiate between gig workers and salaried workers... there are so many ways that can make sense but the current setup isn't one.
They need to change this QUICKLY as families of hourly workers are running out of ways to support themselves during the current pandemic crisis.
Decision Makers
- New York State House
- New York State Senate
- New York State Department of Labor
- Andrew M. CuomoGovernor - New York