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REFERENCE TITLE: return to work program |
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State of Arizona Senate Fifty-first Legislature Second Regular Session 2014
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SB 1281 |
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Introduced by Senators Cajero Bedford, Begay, Bradley, Landrum Taylor
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AN ACT
Amending Title 23, chapter 4, Article 6, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 23-771.02; relating to employment security.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 23, chapter 4, article 6, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 23-771.02, to read:
23-771.02. Return to work program; program termination
A. The department shall establish a return to work program to provide a structured, supervised training opportunity to individuals through employers that volunteer to participate in the program and that meet the requirements that are prescribed in subsection D of this section. An individual in the program shall be at least eighteen years of age and shall register with the department.
B. Individuals may participate in the program on a voluntary basis. An individual may participate in the program for at least twenty hours and not more than thirty-two hours per week, but not to exceed six weeks. Individuals who participate in the program may continue to receive unemployment compensation benefits pursuant to section 23-771.01, subsection A, paragraph 2.
C. The department shall provide workers' compensation coverage to individuals who participate in the program, including coverage for any injury or illness that arises from or in the course of participation in the program with an employer under the program.
D. AN employer that participates in the program must:
1. HAVE EMPLOYEES in this state.
2. Have at least one full-time employment position available in this state.
3. Provide training opportunities that benefit the individual and notify the department when the employer offers an individual a training opportunity under the program.
4. Certify to the department that the employer will not pay any wages to the individual during the individual's participation in the program.
5. Sign a written agreement with each individual who participates in the program that sets forth the terms of the training.
6. Agree that the employer's current employees will not be displaced or lose any promotion rights due to an individual's participation in the program.
7. Provide any additional information that relates to the job training that the department requests.
E. An individual who participates in the program must:
1. Be currently receiving or Be eligible to receive unemployment compensation benefits, pursuant to section 23-771.01, subsection A, paragraph 2.
2. Be willing to develop new skills or work experience.
3. Continue to seek work unless otherwise exempt, pursuant to section 23-771.01, subsection A, paragraph 2.
4. Certify to the department that the individual understands that participating in the program does not guarantee the individual any future employment or expectations of being hired by the employer.
5. Attend a mandatory program orientation that the department conducts.
6. Provide any information that the department requests.
F. The department may not spend monies on the program that is established by this section unless authorized by a legislative appropriation.
G. The program that is established by this section ends on July 1, 2024 pursuant to section 41-3102.
Sec. 2. Department of economic security; exemption from rulemaking
The department of economic security is exempt from the rulemaking requirements of title 41, chapter 6, Arizona Revised Statutes, for the purposes of implementing this act.