Skip to content

NFIB in the News: Rising Unemployment Insurance Costs and Interest Assessments Hurting Small Businesses

NFIB in the News: Rising Unemployment Insurance Costs and Interest Assessments Hurting Small Businesses

September 1, 2022

NFIB in the News: Rising Unemployment Insurance Costs and Interest Assessments Hurting Small Businesses

NFIB in New York continues to be the voice of small business in Albany and has worked tirelessly to raise awareness about rising unemployment insurance (UI) costs for small businesses, including the recent Interest assessment Surcharges that are due this month. NFIB has long called on New York State’s leaders to use federal pandemic aid or surplus state tax revenues to pay off the state’s nearly $8 billion in UI debt – only this action will prevent future surcharges and will lower state UI tax rates. As part of NFIB’s advocacy efforts, New York State Director Ashley Ranslow has been speaking with reporters across New York State about UI and the strain is putting on small businesses. In Albany’s Times Union, Ranslow stated “New York’s elected leaders had the opportunity to prevent these surcharges from hitting businesses mailboxes by using the billions of dollars in federal pandemic aid to pay down the state’s unemployment insurance debt and interest owed on the debt. Instead, the state skirted responsibility and is leaving hardworking small business owners to foot the bill.” The Times Union also quotes two NFIB members, Peter Elitzer of Peter Harris Clothing, and Tracy Snell of Snell Septic Service. Read more about the media’s coverage on this issue and NFIB’s comments in the following publications: See NFIB in the Times Union: https://www.timesunion.com/business/article/Business-large-and-small-decry-what-they-see-as-a-17382986.php?IPID=Times-Union-HP-business-package#photo-22820441 See NFIB in Bloomberg Law: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/n-y-businesses-stuck-with-7-7-billion-covid-unemployment-debt Listen to NFIB on WNYC’s Capitol Pressroom: https://www.wqxr.org/story/employers-forced-to-pay-new-yorks-unemployment-debts/
Get to know NFIB

NFIB is a member-driven organization advocating on behalf of small and independent businesses nationwide.

Receive our newsletter and email notification
Knowledge is power. Let us help you stay informed with breaking legislative news, regulatory updates, business tips, and more.

Related Articles

Four adults pose for a photo beside an NFIB banner that reads 'The Voice of Small Business' with 'One Voice' vertically, in a room with a colorful mural on the right.
Related
July 21, 2026
NFIB Partners with Other Groups for ‘Back the Blue’ Luncheon
The luncheon brought NFIB together with local leaders to honor first responders and support the Troy community.
Read More
Related
July 21, 2026
New NFIB Survey: Small Business Optimism Picks Up in June
Inflation pressure is high, but may ease soon.
Read More
The New York State Capitol Building in Albany, home of the New York State Assembly.
Related
July 13, 2026
IMPORTANT! Department of Taxation and Finance Issues Notice on “Decoupling” Penalty and Interest Exemption
Guidance provides instructions on how to handle a bill for interest and penalties arising from the delayed decoupling.
Read More
Buildings in Manhattan New York
Related
July 9, 2026
New Report on New York’s Small Business Economy Released
“[S]ignificantly few New York owners reported their small businesses as being in excellent or good health compared to the U.S.”
Read More

© 2001 - 2026 National Federation of Independent Business. All Rights Reserved. Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | Accessibility