Session Year 2003, Special Session 1

Bill Name: SF0018

Relating to unemployment insuranceARTICLE 1 - SOLVENCY Modifying certain
provisions providing for the payment of employer +unemployment taxes, providing
for the treatment of additional assessments, fees or surcharges as taxes and for
determination of the base tax rate for +trust fund solvency purposes; modifying
the tax rate for new employers; +modifying the formula for determination of
eligibility to establish benefit +accounts relating to average weekly wage,
specifying a maximum amount of weekly +unemployment benefits available based on
the high quarter calculation; modifying +the unemployment benefits eligibility
provision relating to deductible +payments, changing the payments to payments
delaying unemployment benefits ARTICLE 2 - POLICY AND TECHNICAL
CHANGESModifying the definition of employment for members of limited +liability
companies, limiting the ownership share percentage; modifying the +calculation
of the state maximum weekly unemployment benefit amount relating to +the accrual
period; requiring employer filing of wage detail reports in a manner +and format
prescribed by the commissioner of economic security in order to be +considered
as wage detail reports, requiring electronic transmission; changing +the term
payments in lieu of taxes to reimbursements for trust fund employment benefits
charging purposes; modifying the authority to waive interest+ on past due taxes;
providing for the application of the compromise provision +and for application
of the state maximum weekly benefit amount to benefit +accounts; requiring the
issuance of personal identification numbers (PIN) to +benefit applicants to file
biweekly benefit requests, to access information +and to engage in other
transactions; eliminating weekly requests for +benefits; modifying the
provisions requiring disqualification for voluntary +quit and employment
misconduct; clarifying the application of the +disqualification provision
relating to declining or avoiding offers of employment; +clarifying the
provisions providing for repayment of unintentional (nonfraud) overpayments;
authorizing and providing for the commissioner to +implement a pilot project
involving unemployment benefit applicants participating+ in the growing America
through entrepreneurship (GATE) program to assist in +creating, supporting and
expanding small business opportunities in diverse +communities, sunset;
specifying certain term change and renumbering instructions +to the revisor of
statutes; repealing a certain rule relating to wage detail+ reporting
requirements (mk)