For several months, NFIB strongly advocated for Unemployment Insurance tax relief to assist struggling employers who were forced to lay workers off due to the state mandated shut down. As it stands now, Massachusetts businesses will face a roughly 60% increase in UI taxes if no action is taken by Beacon Hill.
Governor Charlie Baker refiled legislation to freeze UI tax rates to prevent such a dramatic jump in UI taxes. House Bill No. 55 will freeze UI rates at schedule E, rather than jump to schedule G, and will allow the state to borrow money from private sources instead of the federal government to take advantage of lower rates. While this bill does little to address long-term, systemic problems within the Massachusetts UI system (lax eligibility, overly generous benefits), it will help in the immediate to avoid large UI tax bills this spring.
NFIB is urging business owners to contact their lawmakers asking to support House Bill No. 55. Please take a moment to use our Action Alert and send an email to your legislators today: https://www.votervoice.net/NFIB/21/campaigns/79622/respond
