NYS Department of Labor suspends forfeiture days during COVID-19 pandemic

The New York State Department of Labor announced on Wednesday that it's suspending forfeiture days for people claiming unemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

DIED.THERE IS SOME GOODNEWS FOR MANY OFTHE THOUSANDS OFNEW YORKERS WHOARE COUNTING ONUNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS TO MAKEENDS MEET.THE STATE HASCLOSED APOTENTIALLY COSTLYLOOPHOLE.GILAT MELAMEDLOOKS AT HOW THELABOR DEPARTMENTIS TRYING TO DOWHAT'S RIGHT."I HAVE GOOD NEWSFOR NEW YORKERSWHO'VE BEENASSESSEDFORFEITURE DAYS."THE DEPARTMENT OFLABOR IS SUSPENDINGFORFEITURE DAYSFOR PEOPLE CLAIMINGUNEMPLOYMENTDURING THE COVID-19PANDEMIC.A FORFEITURE DAY ISA PENALTY.THE STATEWITHHOLDS BENEFITSFOR A SPECIFIEDPERIOD... IF SOMEONEKNOWINGLY CLAIMEDEXTRAUNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS AT ONEPOINT.BUT NOW THE STATEOWES NEW YORKERS."THEY OWE ME ABOUT$3,000."HANNAH CENTNER OFARCADE HAS BEENUNEMPLOYED FORTWO MONTHS.SHE SAYS SHE PAIDBACK EXTRA BENEFITSYEARS AGO.WHICH IS WHY SHEWAS SHOCKED TO SEETHE WORD "FORFEIT"ON HER ACCOUNTWEEK AFTER WEEKAFTER WEEK."HONESTLY I HADCOMPLETELY FORGOTABOUT IT I GOT A JOBAND WENT BACK TOWORK 4 YEARS AGO."STATE SENATORMONICA MARTINEZSAYS THE SYSTEMDIDN'T RECOGNIZEPEOPLE WHOALREADY PAID BACKTHE EXTRA MONEY.BENEFITS WERE ALSOWITH WITHHELD FROMNEW YORKERS WHOSTILL OWED THESTATE..."IMAGINE YOURSELFNOT HAVING APAYCHECK IN 9WEEKS."MARTINEZ ADVOCATEDFOR THE SUSPENSIONOF FORFEITUREDAYS... WRITING ALETTER TO THECOMMISSIONER AMONTH AGO."WE'RE NOT SAYINGDON'T RETURN IT YOUWILL HAVE TO RETURNTHAT MONEY BUT ATTHE SAME TIME THEYNEED TO LIVE ANDTHEY NEED TOSURVIVE."