Skip to content

In the News

Note to Albany: Pushing workers over ‘benefits cliff’ makes no sense

Blog Categories

BUFFALO, N.Y. (The Buffalo News) — If the moral imperative of making work pay doesn’t prompt compensation adequate for a decent life – and clearly it often doesn’t – maybe the impact on the economy of penalizing workers for bettering themselves will change some minds.

That’s the idea behind state legislation being pushed by business groups and others to address the “benefits cliff” that is contributing to the region’s hiring woes.

“The increase in wages is not enough to make up for the financial value of these lost benefits,” especially if the cuts occur all at once, said Grant Loomis, VP of government affairs and economic development at the Buffalo Niagara Partnership.

That makes it counterproductive for some workers to take jobs or promotions.

Read the article here.

Related Posts

Buffalo Niagara Partnership Releases 2023 Member Pulse Report

By mcotter@thepartnership.org | October 24, 2023

BUFFALO, N.Y. — For the third consecutive year, difficulty finding and retaining qualified talent ranked as the top concern of BNP members, with three quarters reporting that they have unfilled positions. The impact of inflation and higher interest rates raised market conditions to the second concern after spending several years further down the ranking.

Poloncarz, Casilio give divergent views at county exec candidates forum before business group

By mcotter@thepartnership.org | September 22, 2023

Democrat Mark Poloncarz and Republican Chrissy Casilio couldn’t have been more different in their answers Thursday at a forum hosted by the Buffalo Niagara Partnership.

Tech hub competition draws flurry of applications

By mcotter@thepartnership.org | September 22, 2023

BUFFALO, NY (The Buffalo News) — The joint bid by Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse to secure potentially tens of millions of dollars in federal funding for a “tech hub” faces stiff competition.

But the partners in the bid say they believe their regional approach will give them a leg up in the competition.

This Labor Day weekend, consider the need to help ourselves

By mcotter@thepartnership.org | September 7, 2023

As family and friends come together to celebrate Labor Day and honor the working men and women who are the lifeblood of our economy, it seems appropriate to reflect on the kind of workforce our community needs now and in the future.