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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESFifty-sixth Legislature Second Regular Session |
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HB 2282: unemployment; requirements; disqualifications; shared work
Sponsor: Representative Biasiucci, LD 30
Committee on Commerce
Overview
Modifies the criteria that an unemployed person must meet to be eligible for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits. Requires the Department of Economic Security (DES) to cross-check the validity of UI claims against outlined data sets.
History
The Department of Economic Security (DES) administers the unemployment insurance benefit program, which provides temporary financial relief to eligible unemployed individuals who separate from their previous employers at no fault of their own. To be eligible for UI benefits, an individual must be able to work, available for work and actively seeking work. Further, the individual must engage in a systematic and sustained effort to search for work on at least four different days each week and make at least four work search contacts each week.
DES examines any claim for benefits and determines whether the claim is valid. DES must promptly notify the claimant of the determination. The claimant has 15 days from the date the notification was mailed to appeal the determination.
Individuals who fail to apply for available and suitable work, actively engage in seeking work, accept suitable work when offered or return to customary self-employment as directed by DES are disqualified from UI benefits (Title 23, Chapter 4, A.R.S.).
Provisions
UI Benefit Eligibility
1. Modifies eligibility requirements by adding that an individual must actively seek and apply for suitable work and:
a) conduct at least five specified work search actions each week to qualify as actively seeking and applying for suitable work; and
b) provide a weekly report that details the individual's work search actions for every week a benefit is sought. (Sec. 4)
2. Removes the requirement that an individual engage in a systematic and sustained effort to obtain work during at least four days of the week and make at least one job contract per day on four different days of the week to be eligible for UI benefits. (Sec. 4)
UI Claim Validity
3. Prohibits DES from paying benefits until the initial claim, or ongoing claim on a weekly basis, is cross-checked for validity against prescribed data sets. (Sec. 5)
4. Stipulates a claim will not be paid and the claimant is disqualified from receiving benefits and referred for prosecution if a cross-check results in information indicating that a claim is ineligible or fraudulent. (Sec. 5)
5. Directs DES, prior to paying benefits, to examine any initial claim and confirm the claim's validity if the initial claim:
a) was submitted electronically through an internet address located outside of Arizona or the U.S.;
b) references an address for which another current claim was submitted; or
c) is associated with a direct deposit for a bank account already used for another current claim. (Sec. 5)
6. Allows DES to refer the matter for prosecution if a fraudulent claim was filed. (Sec. 5)
Disqualification from UI Benefits
7. Restates that an individual is disqualified for UI benefits if the individual has failed without cause to:
a) actively seek and apply for suitable work;
b) accept an offer of suitable work; or
c) accept reemployment at the same employer for suitable work, if offered. (Sec. 6)
8. Directs an employer to report to DES when an individual who was a previous employee:
a) refuses to return to work or accept an offer of suitable work; or
b) fails to appear for a scheduled interview or respond to an offer of employment. (Sec. 6)
9. Permits employers to submit the required report to DES either digitally or through email. (Sec. 6)
10. Requires DES to conduct an independent review of each submitted report to determine whether an individual should be disqualified from receiving benefits. (Sec. 6)
11. Makes technical changes. (Sec. 1-6)
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HB 2282
Initials PB Page 0 Commerce
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