Lawmakers unlikely to boost unemployment benefits for NC's jobless before they leave town

The state maximum now is $350 a week. Senators wanted to boost that to $400, with that change and another meant to increase payments kicking in once the additional $600 in federal benefits that people on unemployment get now expires.

Lawmakers returned to session in mid-May, but Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger said Thursday that he hasn't had any conversations about the unemployment maximum with anyone in the General Assembly.

For now, it's probably too late, Berger said.

"I think the support is still there," said Berger, R-Rockingham. "I just don't know that we're going to be in a position to start that up, get that taken up today."

Lawmakers may return to session later this year. That's something leaders are negotiating, and the Senate is pushing to wrap things up.

Berger said that, if the General Assembly does come back into session, it will likely be to deal with legislation Gov. Roy Cooper vetoes or additional federal funding the legislature needs to appropriate to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.