A 9643 New York Assembly · 2025 Regular Session

Authorizes a claimant to receive a dependent allowance in addition to unemployment insurance benefits

Summary

Provides that a claimant eligible to receive unemployment insurance benefits shall also be entitled to receive a dependent allowance which shall begin at forty-five dollars and shall increase annually by an amount determined by the department of labor; directs the department of labor to report to the legislature following each calendar quarter certain information about dependent allowances and to make such reports available on its website; provides that a claimant's maximum benefit amount, including such dependent allowance, shall not exceed one hundred percent of such claimant's average weekly wage from their highest-earning calendar quarter.

Issues: ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 21, 2026 Last action Mar 12, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

A9643 → A9643A · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends the New York Labor Law to establish a new dependent allowance of $45 per week for unemployment insurance claimants with qualifying dependents. The allowance is designed to increase annually based on the consumer price index and includes specific rules for defining dependents, calculating benefits, and protecting claimants from employer challenges.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of unemployment benefits to include a separate, taxable-free dependent allowance, while also modifying the calculation of the base weekly benefit amount for lower-income earners.

FISCAL

Creates a new $45 per week dependent allowance for eligible claimants, which increases annually based on the consumer price index.

Adjusts the formula for calculating the base weekly benefit amount for claimants with lower earnings to ensure they receive a fair share of their past wages.

ELIGIBILITY

Defines 'dependents' to include children under 18, students up to 26, nonworking adults over 60, and adults with disabilities.

ENFORCEMENT

Prohibits employers from being charged for the dependent allowance or from contesting a claimant's eligibility for it.

REQUIREMENT

Requires the state department to collect dependent information during initial applications and publish quarterly reports on usage and demographics.

DEFINITION

Clarifies that the dependent allowance is part of the total benefit amount and subject to standard appeal rights.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Mar 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

PRINT NUMBER 9643A

lower

Mar 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO LABOR

lower

Jan 21, 2026

Committee

REFERRED TO LABOR

lower

1 primary · 3 co-sponsors