HF 2996

Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 04/01/2025 11:25 a.m.

A bill for an act
relating to unemployment; modifying the definition of available for suitable
employment; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 268.085, subdivision
15.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 268.085, subdivision 15, is amended to read:

Subd. 15.

Available for suitable employment defined.

(a) "Available for suitable
employment" means an applicant is ready, willing, and able to accept suitable employment.
The attachment to the work force must be genuine. An applicant may restrict availability
to suitable employment, but there must be no other restrictions, either self-imposed or created
by circumstances, temporary or permanent, that prevent accepting suitable employment.

(b) Unless the applicant is in reemployment assistance training, to be "available for
suitable employment," a student who has regularly scheduled classes must be willing to
discontinue classes to accept suitable employment when:

(1) class attendance restricts the applicant from accepting suitable employment; and

(2) the applicant is unable to change the scheduled class or make other arrangements
that excuse the applicant from attending class.

(c) new text begin Except for an active search that may be done remotely, new text end an applicant who is absent
from the labor market area for personal reasons, other than to search for work, is not
"available for suitable employment."

(d) An applicant who has restrictions on the hours of the day or days of the week that
the applicant can or will work, that are not normal for the applicant's usual occupation or
other suitable employment, is not "available for suitable employment." An applicant must
be available for daytime employment, if suitable employment is performed during the
daytime, even though the applicant previously worked the night shift.