AB 219

This bill makes various changes in the unemployment insurance (UI) law.

Significant changes include:

Benefit amounts

Currently, weekly UI benefit rates for total unemployment range from $54 for

an employee who earns wages (or certain other amounts treated as wages) of at least

$1,350 during at least one quarter of the employee's base period (period preceding

a claim during which benefit rights accrue) to $363 for an employee who earns wages

(or certain other amounts treated as wages) of at least $9,075 during any such

quarter. This bill adjusts weekly benefit rates for weeks of unemployment beginning

on or after January 5, 2014, to rates ranging from $54 for an employee who earns

wages (or certain other amounts treated as wages) of at least $1,350 during at least

one quarter of the employee's base period to $370 for an employee who earns wages

(or certain other amounts treated as wages) of at least $9,250 during any such

quarter. The bill does not affect the benefit rate of any employee who earns wages

(or certain other amounts treated as wages) of at least $1,350 during at least one

quarter of the employee's base period or any employee who earns wages (or certain

other amounts treated as wages) of at least $9,075 during at least one quarter of the

employee's base period.

Other benefit changes

Registration and search for work

Currently, with limited exceptions, in order to become and remain eligible to

receive UI benefits for any week, a claimant is required, among other things, to

register for work and to conduct a reasonable search for suitable work within that

week, which must include at least two actions that constitute a reasonable search as

prescribed by rule by the Department of Workforce Development (DWD).

This bill requires a claimant, subject to the same exceptions, to provide

information or job application materials and to participate in a public employment

office workshop or training program or in similar reemployment services that do not

require a participation fee, if either is required by DWD for a given week other than

the claimant's first week of benefits. The bill allows DWD to use the information or

job application materials provided by a claimant to assess the claimant's efforts,

skills, and ability to find or obtain work and to develop a list of potential

opportunities for a claimant to obtain suitable work. However, the bill provides that

a claimant who is subject to the work search requirement need not apply for a specific

position on that list in order to satisfy that requirement.

Prohibiting concurrent receipt of UI and SSDI benefits

The bill disqualifies a claimant from receiving UI benefits during any week in

which the claimant is actually receiving social security disability insurance (SSDI)

benefits and requires a claimant, when the claimant first files for UI benefits and

during each subsequent week the claimant files for UI benefits, to inform DWD