news-record.com

RALEIGH — The $2.7 billion debt that North Carolina has incurred to pay unemployment benefits in the wake of the recession has led the N.C. Chamber of Commerce to commission a comprehensive study of the state's unemployment system.

"The key point for us is, we're looking at everything," said Gary Salamido, a lobbyist for the chamber. "We don't know what the solution is yet."

The Chamber has hired a Columbus, Ohio, law firm to conduct the study, led by attorney Anthonio Fiore. Fiore spent a decade as lead lobbyist for labor and employment issues for the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. The study began last month and should be completed by April 18.

The firm's mandate is to analyze the state's current unemployment system, including its unemployment insurance laws; identify the best practices of other states and recommend on how to return the state's unemployment insurance trust fund to solvency.

The firm also will look at the benefits the state pays and ways to help the unemployed find jobs.

"What we're leaning toward right now is something that really puts a heavy emphasis on worker training and re-employment and how do we get a world-class community college system ... in charge of putting people back to work," Salamido said.

The $2.7 billion the state has borrowed to pay unemployment benefits came from the federal government.

Beginning this year, the state's employers are paying more in federal unemployment taxes. Those taxes will escalate every year until the state pays off its debt.