(RALEIGH) -- The chairwoman of the North Carolina Employment Security Commission sent a letter to state lawmakers notifying them that some news rules have been suspended.  The rules were approved by the General Assembly several months ago and would result in a sharp increase in the unemployment tax paid by employers.

Mark Johnson, a spokesman for Gov. Bev Perdue said lawmakers overrode a veto of the legislation, so the move by ESC chairwoman Lynn Holmes was need to prevent a burdensome tax increase on businesses. "Because we want them to be able to grow and thrive.  The Governor's top priority is creating jobs," said Johnson.

Regulators has said the rules could put the state out of good standing with federal law. Republican lawmakers acknowledged when they overrode the veto in July that the Employment Security Commission could suspend the contested rules to avoid the tax problems. The rules would have required employers to pay a federal unemployment insurance tax of 6.2 percent, compared to a current rate of less than 1 percent.