New York state officials and workers’ rights advocates are lobbying for a new unemployment relief program. Central New York officials are urging the state legislature to allocate $500 million from the state budget towards an Unemployment Bridge Program. The program aims to extend unemployment insurance to a wider range of individuals including freelancers, digital media professionals, certain previously incarcerated people, farm workers, and other self-employed individuals who aren’t currently eligible for this insurance. The proposed program could offer workers a monthly payment of up to $1,200 if they lose employment.

Ithaca-area Assemblymember Anna Kelles supports the initiative, noting that it could stabilize the economy. Proposed funding methods for the program include a digital ad tax, which would take a portion of annual revenues from digital advertising services provided by large corporations like Google and Facebook. Estimates suggest that this tax could generate around $700 million in revenue for New York State annually, according to Bahar Tolou, organizing director for the Action Center on Race and Economy. The program is backed by organizations such as the Workers’ Center of CNY and the Worker Justice Center of NY.