ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Fifty-sixth Legislature First Regular Session
	Senate: COM DP 4-3-0-0 | 3^rd Read 16-14-0-0 House: COM DP 6-4-0-0

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SB 1167: unemployment insurance; benefit amounts; definition

Sponsor: Senator Kaiser, LD 2

House Engrossed

Overview

Changes the duration of unemployment benefits for which an individual may receive during a benefit year.

History

Individuals awarded unemployment insurance benefits are entitled to receive a weekly benefit in an amount equal to 4% of the total wages for insured work paid in the highest quarter of their base period. The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters immediately preceding the first day of their benefit year.  The weekly benefit amount is statutorily capped at $320 (A.R.S. § 23-779).

The duration of benefits is based on the unemployment rate in the prior calendar quarter, which is the average of the seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for the three months of the most recently published calendar year quarter as published by the Office of Economic Opportunity. If the prior calendar quarter unemployment rate is less than 5% the duration of benefits is 24 weeks. If the prior calendar quarter unemployment rate is 5% or more the duration of benefits is 26 weeks (A.R.S. § 23-780).

According to the Office of Economic Opportunity, Arizona's unemployment rate (January 2023 – Seasonally Adjusted) is 3.8%.

Provisions

1. Establishes a duration schedule for which an individual receives unemployment benefits based on incremental changes in the unemployment rate in the prior calendar quarter (UR):

a) 12 weeks, if the UR is 5% or less;

b) 13 weeks, if the UR is more than 5% but not more than 5.5%;

c) 14 weeks, if the UR is more than 5.5% but not more than 6%;  

d) 15 weeks, if the UR is more than 6% but not more than 6.5%;  

e) 16 weeks, if the UR is more than 6.5% but not more than 7%;  

f) 17 weeks, if the UR is more than 7% but not more than 7.5%;

g) 18 weeks, if the UR is more than 7.5% but not more than 8%;

h) 19 weeks, if the UR is more than 8% but not more than 8.5%; and  

i) 20 weeks, if the UR is more than 8.5%. (Sec. 1) 

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m)                         SB 1167

n) Initials PRB     Page 0 House Engrossed

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