ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - The U.S. Senate has passed legislation meant to address the high unemployment rate among returning veterans.

New York Sen. Charles Schumer, a cosponsor, says the unemployment rate for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan hovers near 15 percent in some counties.

The bill, approved 94-1, would provide tax credits for employers hiring veterans, as well as job training to help vets return to the work force.

The Hire Heroes Act would provide companies that hire a vet who has been looking for work for at least four weeks to get a tax credit of $2,400.

Businesses that hire a vet who has been looking for a job for at least six months would get a $5,600 tax credit.
      

      
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York's unemployment rate was 8 percent in September, unchanged from August and down from 8.4 percent a year earlier.

The state labor department says the New York City rate was 8.7 percent, also unchanged from a month earlier and below the 9.2 percent reported a year ago. The rate in the rest of the state was 7.4 percent, down a tick from 7.5 in August and 7.8 last year.

Most of the private sector job gains in the state have been in educational and health services, professional and business services and leisure and hospitality. They accounted for about 82,000 of the roughly 100,000 jobs added since September 2010. The state lost 9,300 government jobs, which includes public education and health services, and 2,900 manufacturing jobs.

The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce is holding a Customer Loyalty Workshop with Jerry Posner on Thursday, October 20.

Posner is a training specialist, author and motivational speaker who has presented at Canyon Ranch and works with clients across the country. 

This workshop will be providing a "customer service tune-up" and reminders for a competitive edge in all sectors of the business community. 

The workshop from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Chamber Office at 1 North Front Street in Hudson..  The cost is $59 for chamber members and $89 for non-members.  Seating is limited to 24 people.

Contact the Chamber at 828-4417 for more information or to make reservations by October 18.