HF 1035

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 02/11/2021 02:46pm

A bill for an act
relating to unemployment; modifying timeline for determination of eligibility
appeals; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 268.101, subdivision 2.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 268.101, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Determination.

(a) The commissioner must determine any issue of ineligibility
raised by information required from an applicant under subdivision 1, paragraph (a) or (c),
and send to the applicant and any involved employer, by mail or electronic transmission, a
document titled a determination of eligibility or a determination of ineligibility, as is
appropriate. The determination on an issue of ineligibility as a result of a quit or a discharge
of the applicant must state the effect on the employer under section 268.047. A determination
must be made in accordance with this paragraph even if a notified employer has not raised
the issue of ineligibility.

(b) The commissioner must determine any issue of ineligibility raised by an employer
and send to the applicant and that employer, by mail or electronic transmission, a document
titled a determination of eligibility or a determination of ineligibility as is appropriate. The
determination on an issue of ineligibility as a result of a quit or discharge of the applicant
must state the effect on the employer under section 268.047.

If a base period employer:

(1) was not the applicant's most recent employer before the application for unemployment
benefits;

(2) did not employ the applicant during the six calendar months before the application
for unemployment benefits; and

(3) did not raise an issue of ineligibility as a result of a quit or discharge of the applicant
within ten calendar days of notification under subdivision 1, paragraph (b);

then any exception under section 268.047, subdivisions 2 and 3, begins the Sunday two
weeks following the week that the issue of ineligibility as a result of a quit or discharge of
the applicant was raised by the employer.

A communication from an employer must specifically set out why the applicant should
be determined ineligible for unemployment benefits for that communication to be considered
to have raised an issue of ineligibility for purposes of this section. A statement of "protest"
or a similar term without more information does not constitute raising an issue of ineligibility
for purposes of this section.

(c) Subject to section 268.031, an issue of ineligibility is determined based upon that
information required of an applicant, any information that may be obtained from an applicant
or employer, and information from any other source.

(d) Regardless of the requirements of this subdivision, the commissioner is not required
to send to an applicant a copy of the determination where the applicant has satisfied a period
of ineligibility because of a quit or a discharge under section 268.095, subdivision 10.

(e) The department is authorized to issue a determination on an issue of ineligibility
within 24 months from the establishment of a benefit account based upon information from
any source, even if the issue of ineligibility was not raised by the applicant or an employer.

If an applicant obtained unemployment benefits through misrepresentation under section
268.18, subdivision 2, the department is authorized to issue a determination of ineligibility
within 48 months of the establishment of the benefit account.

If the department has filed an intervention in a worker's compensation matter under
section 176.361, the department is authorized to issue a determination of ineligibility within
48 months of the establishment of the benefit account.

(f) A determination of eligibility or determination of ineligibility is final unless an appeal
is filed by the applicant or employer within deleted text begin 20 deleted text end new text begin 60 new text end calendar days after sending. The
determination must contain a prominent statement indicating the consequences of not
appealing. Proceedings on the appeal are conducted in accordance with section 268.105.

(g) An issue of ineligibility required to be determined under this section includes any
question regarding the denial or allowing of unemployment benefits under this chapter
except for issues under section 268.07. An issue of ineligibility for purposes of this section
includes any question of effect on an employer under section 268.047.