Ga. House cuts unemployment tax hike on business

ATLANTA - The Georgia House has voted to soften a planned increase in the amount businesses pay into the unemployment insurance trust fund.

The surcharge on employers had been set to rise from 35 percent of the base tax they pay to 100 percent.

Legislation approved unanimously on Monday would cap it at 50 percent.

Faced with skyrocketing unemployment rates, Georgia had to borrow more than $600 million from the federal government to keep the unemployment fund afloat.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Bill Hembree, a Winston Republican, said his legislation would also allow the state to keep the doors open at career centers open that help unemployed Georgians get jobs.

The bill is similar to one that cleared the state Senate on Friday.