SF 23

as introduced - 91st Legislature, 2020 5th Special Session (2020 - 2020) Posted on 10/13/2020 07:54am

A bill for an act
relating to unemployment insurance; authorizing additional unemployment
insurance benefits for certain mining employees.

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

Section 1. new text begin MINING AND RELATED INDUSTRY ADDITIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT
BENEFITS PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Availability of additional benefits. new text end

new text begin Notwithstanding any other law to
the contrary, additional unemployment benefits are available from the Minnesota
unemployment insurance trust fund to an applicant who was laid off from:
new text end

new text begin (1) an iron ore mining industry employer; or
new text end

new text begin (2) an employer providing goods or services to an iron mining industry employer if the
applicant was laid off due to the cessation or substantial reduction in operations of an iron
ore mining industry employer.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Eligibility requirements. new text end

new text begin An applicant is eligible to receive unemployment
benefits under this section for any week through the week ending May 1, 2021, if:
new text end

new text begin (1) the applicant established a benefit account under Minnesota Statutes, section 268.07,
with 50 percent or greater of the wage credits from an iron ore mining industry employer
or an employer providing goods or services to iron ore mining industry employers, and has
exhausted the maximum available amount of state or federal unemployment benefits available
on that benefit account; and
new text end

new text begin (2) the applicant meets the same requirements that an applicant for regular unemployment
benefits must meet under Minnesota Statutes, section 268.069, subdivision 1.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Weekly and maximum amount of additional unemployment benefits. new text end

new text begin (a)
The weekly benefit amount of additional unemployment benefits is the same as the weekly
benefit amount of regular unemployment benefits on the benefit account established in
subdivision 2, clause (1).
new text end

new text begin (b) The maximum amount of additional unemployment benefits available to an applicant
under this section is an amount equal to 26 weeks of payment at the applicant's weekly
additional unemployment benefit amount.
new text end

new text begin (c) If an applicant qualifies for a new regular benefit account that meets the requirements
of subdivision 4, paragraph (b), before the applicant has been paid additional unemployment
benefits, and that new regular benefit account meets the requirements of subdivision 2,
clause (1), the applicant's weekly additional unemployment benefit amount is equal to the
weekly unemployment benefit amount on the applicant's new regular benefit account.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Qualifying for new regular benefit account. new text end

new text begin (a) If after exhausting the
maximum amount of regular unemployment benefits available as a result of the layoff under
subdivision 1, an applicant qualifies for the new regular benefit account under Minnesota
Statutes, section 268.07, the applicant must apply for and establish that new regular benefit
account.
new text end

new text begin (b) If the applicant's weekly benefit amount under the new regular benefit account is
equal to or higher than the applicant's weekly additional unemployment benefit amount, the
applicant must request unemployment benefits under the new regular benefit account. An
applicant is ineligible for additional unemployment benefits under this section until the
applicant has exhausted the maximum amount of unemployment benefits available on the
new regular benefit account.
new text end

new text begin (c) If the applicant's weekly unemployment benefit amount on the new regular benefit
account is less than the applicant's weekly benefit amount of additional unemployment
benefits, the applicant must request additional unemployment benefits. An applicant is
ineligible for new regular unemployment benefits until the applicant has exhausted the
maximum amount of additional unemployment benefits available under this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Charging benefits. new text end

new text begin Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 268.047,
subdivision 1, unemployment insurance benefits paid under this section shall not be used
to compute the future unemployment insurance tax rate of a taxpaying employer and shall
not be charged to the reimbursing account of government or nonprofit employers.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Eligibility for federal Trade Readjustment Allowance benefits. new text end

new text begin An applicant
who has applied and been determined eligible for any federal unemployment benefits,
including any federal unemployment benefit program or Trade Readjustment Assistance,
is not eligible for additional unemployment benefits under this section.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end