by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims last week continue to hold at a high level. This is happening in Vermont and nationally. This is generally explained by more people getting back into the system as the new federal economic relief plan has both extended the unemployment insurance benefits and increased the payout. However, economists
The COVID-19 pandemic has raged across retailers large and small with repercussions that will be felt long after the sting of the vaccine needles fade. Businesses across the state are struggling and when they suffer, their employees and consumers are directly affected. When the Maryland General Assembly convenes for the 2021 legislative session in January, the Maryland Retailers Association (MRA), in concert with Maryland’s business coalition, will be laser-focused on helping businesses weather the challenges we all currently face.
The MRA will focus on four major areas:
Protection from tax hikes and mandated operating costs
Revenue projections for the state, though not as dire as originally feared, are still lower than in previous years, and funding demands, such as the education funding increases recommended by the Kirwan Commission, are ever higher. As a result, lawmakers are considering new taxes that would be devastating to businesses, many of which are simply trying to m
For the fund to recover to its pre-pandemic solvency by 2028, employers taxes and contributions will have to grow by an average of $420 million a year after 2023, the