Although a legislative response appears not to be a priority, some lawmakers used Labor Secretary Lauren Jones’s appearance at a budget hearing to prod the Healey administration on the unemployment payment delays that plunged the system to worst-in-the-nation performance last year.
unemployment insurance
Posted inState Government
Despite improvement, Mass. unemployment system remains one of the worst in the country by some measures
The Bay State boosted its rate of timely unemployment payments in November and December, but it still ranked in the bottom three states in that span, and legislative leaders are mostly silent on the issue.
Posted inOpinion
Small businesses should not pay for Massachusetts’s $2.1 billion unemployment insurance mistake
The real question is, will state elected officials return to their default settings by expecting job creators to shoulder the burden through higher taxes, or will they learn from past UI missteps and seek meaningful reforms?
Posted inThe Download
What derailed unemployment insurance commission?
Billions of dollars are going to be pumped into the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund, but there is no guarantee the money will solve the fund’s problems. A special legislative […]
Posted inState Government
What derailed unemployment insurance commission?
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS are going to be pumped into the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund, but there is no guarantee the money will solve the fund’s problems. A special legislative […]
Posted inState House News Service
Baker administration offers UI overpayment relief
THE STATE’S DEPARTMENT of Unemployment Assistance will be in touch with Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Unemployment Insurance claimants in the coming days to detail state and federal relief options that […]
Posted inState House News Service, Uncategorized
State seeks OK to forgive UI overpayments
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE BAKER ADMINISTRATION on Thursday asked US Labor Secretary Marty Walsh to intervene and grant Massachusetts permission to forgive wide swaths of overpaid unemployment benefits, warning […]
Posted inState House News Service, Uncategorized
Lawmakers urge pause on pursuing collections
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE A PAIR OF TOP legislators on Friday urged the Baker administration to halt pursuing overpaid unemployment benefits for the next five-plus months, calling for more time […]
Posted inUncategorized
Report indicates UI trust fund warnings overstated
THE BAKER ADMINISTRATION released a long-awaited report on New Year’s Eve indicating the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund is in much better shape than expected. After issuing warnings earlier this […]
Posted inThe Download
Baker administration remains vague on UI holdup
Despite growing pressure from Republican and Democratic legislators, the Baker administration is continuing to offer vague statements on why it is having difficulty producing a financial accounting of the state’s […]
Posted inEconomy
No answers yet on unemployment insurance trust fund
THE BAKER ADMINISTRATION said on Monday that it still hasn’t completed a financial accounting of the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund and may not be ready with one anytime soon. […]
Posted inEconomy
Baker: $500m for unemployment insurance fund not debatable
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Tuesday said putting the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund on sound footing requires a $500 million infusion from the state’s share of American Rescue Plan Act funding and […]
Posted inEconomy
Business leader ‘confused’ by unemployment insurance revelations
THE PRESIDENT and CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce says the business community was caught off guard just like everyone else by the news that the state’s unemployment […]
Posted inOpinion
More workplace protections are needed
ON LABOR DAY, we celebrated working people, and the achievements of the union movement which make our families more secure and make our society and economy stronger. Among them: unemployment […]
Posted inOpinion
Is it true no one wants to work anymore?
AMRHEINS RESTAURANT in South Boston recently posted a notice on its door advising would-be patrons that it was not to be held responsible for the sub-par dining experience awaiting them […]
Posted inEconomy
Lawmakers find common ground on unemployment insurance bill
TIME-SENSITIVE LEGISLATION aimed at stabilizing the state’s unemployment system, providing targeted tax relief to employers and workers, and creating a COVID-19 emergency sick leave program requires one final vote in […]
Posted inUncategorized
Unemployment insurance bill kicks the can
A BILL BEING CONSIDERED  by the state Legislature to freeze businesses’ unemployment insurance payments may be a short-term fix, but it does not solve the longer-term problem of how to […]
Posted inOpinion
Unemployment insurance bill doesn’t go far enough
A BEACON HILLÂ deal has been made to prevent an enormous, unprecedented tax bill in April for Massachusetts employers. Some businesses were aware it was coming while most had no idea. […]
Posted inUncategorized
Business groups urge passage of Baker’s unemployment insurance bill
MASSACHUSETTS BUSINESSES Â are begging the Legislature for relief from a hefty anticipated increase in unemployment insurance costs next year. Gov. Charlie Baker introduced a bill that would lessen the hit […]
Posted inState House News Service, Uncategorized
Baker files bill to ease UI costs for businesses
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE MASSACHUSETTS BUSINESSES would face smaller increases in taxes they pay to fund the state unemployment system over the next two years, under a new bill Gov. […]
Posted inEconomy
Employers face huge hike in UI taxes
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE WITH UNEMPLOYMENT SOARING, Â state lawmakers are considering ways to soften the blow from a major impending increase in the taxes employers pay toward the state’s unemployment […]
Posted inUncategorized
Unemployment portal now in multiple languages
ONE DAY AFTER making the state’s unemployment insurance portal available in Portuguese, the state added versions in Chinese, Vietnamese, and Haitian Kreyol. The new versions were added this week with […]
Posted inEconomy
‘Cheat sheet’ helps Spanish-speakers file claimsÂ
A NORTHAMPTON GROUP is helping Spanish speakers fill out state unemployment insurance claim forms with an online tool that walks them through the process step by step. Click aquà para leer el artÃculo en […]