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268.101 Determinations on disqualification and eligibility.

Subdivision 1. Notification. (a) In an application for unemployment benefits, each applicant shall report the name and the reason for no longer working for the applicant's most recent employer, as well as the names of all employers and the reasons for no longer working for all employers during the six calendar months prior to the date of the application. If the reason reported for no longer working for any of those employers is other than a layoff due to lack of work, that shall raise an issue of disqualification that the department shall determine. An applicant's failure to report the name of an employer, or giving an incorrect reason for no longer working for an employer, shall be considered a violation of section 268.182, paragraph (b).

In an application, the applicant shall provide all information necessary to determine the applicant's eligibility for unemployment benefits under section 268.085. If the applicant fails or refuses to provide information necessary to determine the applicant's eligibility for benefits under section 268.085, the applicant shall be ineligible for benefits under section 268.085, subdivision 2, until the applicant provides this required information.

(b) Upon establishment of a benefit account, the commissioner shall notify, by mail or electronic transmission, all employers the applicant was required to report on the application and all base period employers and determined successors to those employers under section 268.051, subdivision 4 in order to provide the employer an opportunity to raise, in a manner prescribed by the commissioner, any issue of disqualification or any issue of eligibility. An employer shall be informed of the effect that failure to raise an issue of disqualification within ten calendar days after sending of the notice, as provided for under subdivision 2, paragraph (b), may have on the employer under section 268.047.

(c) Each applicant shall report any employment, loss of employment, and offers of employment received, during those weeks the applicant filed continued requests for unemployment benefits pursuant to section 268.086. Each applicant who stops filing continued requests during the benefit year and later begins filing continued requests during that same benefit year shall report the name of any employer the applicant worked for during the period between the filing of continued requests and the reason the applicant stopped working for the employer. The applicant shall report any offers of employment during the period between the filing of continued requests for unemployment benefits. Those employers from which the applicant has reported a loss of employment or an offer of employment pursuant to this paragraph shall be notified by mail or electronic transmission and provided an opportunity to raise, in a manner prescribed by the commissioner, any issue of disqualification or any issue of eligibility. An employer shall be informed of the effect that failure to raise an issue may have on the employer under section 268.047.

(d) The purpose for requiring the applicant to report the name of employers and the reason for no longer working for those employers under paragraphs (a) and (c) is for the commissioner to obtain information from an applicant raising all issues that may have the potential of disqualifying the applicant from unemployment benefits under section 268.095. If the reason given by the applicant for no longer working for an employer is other than a layoff due to lack of work, that shall raise an issue of disqualification and the applicant shall be required, as part of the determination process under subdivision 2, paragraph (a), to state all the facts about the cause for no longer working for the employer, if known. If the applicant fails or refuses to provide this information, the applicant shall be ineligible for benefits under section 268.085, subdivision 2, until the applicant provides this required information.

Subd. 2. Disqualification determination. (a) The commissioner shall determine any issue of disqualification raised by information required from an applicant under subdivision 1, paragraph (a) or (c), and mail to the applicant and employer at the last known address a determination of disqualification or a determination of nondisqualification, as is appropriate. The determination shall state the effect on the employer under section 268.047. A determination shall be made pursuant to this paragraph even if a notified employer has not raised the issue of disqualification.

(b) The commissioner shall determine any issue of disqualification raised by an employer and mail to the applicant and that employer at the last known address a determination of disqualification or a determination of nondisqualification as is appropriate. The determination shall state the effect on the employer under section 268.047.

If a base period employer:

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

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

(3) did not raise an issue of disqualification within ten calendar days of notification under subdivision 1, paragraph (b);

then any exception under section 268.047, subdivisions 2 and 3, shall begin the Sunday two weeks following the week that the issue of disqualification was raised by the employer.

(c) If any time within 24 months from the establishment of a benefit account the commissioner finds that an applicant failed to report any employment, loss of employment, or offers of employment that were required to be provided by the applicant under this section, the commissioner shall determine any issue of disqualification on that loss of employment or offer of employment and mail to the applicant and involved employer at the last known address a determination of disqualification or a determination of nondisqualification, as is appropriate. The determination shall state the effect on the employer under section 268.047.

This paragraph shall not prevent the imposition of any penalty under section 268.18, subdivision 2, or 268.182.

(d) An issue of disqualification shall be 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, without regard to any common law burden of proof.

(e) A determination of disqualification or a determination of nondisqualification shall be final unless an appeal is filed by the applicant or notified employer within 30 calendar days after mailing. The determination shall contain a prominent statement indicating the consequences of not appealing. Proceedings on the appeal shall be conducted in accordance with section 268.105.

(f) An issue of disqualification for purposes of this section shall include any reason for no longer working for an employer other than a layoff due to lack of work, any question of a disqualification from unemployment benefits under section 268.095, any question of an exception to disqualification under section 268.095, any question of effect on an employer under section 268.047, and any question of an otherwise imposed disqualification that an applicant has satisfied under section 268.095, subdivision 10.

(g) Regardless of the requirements of this subdivision, the commissioner is not required to mail to an applicant a determination where the applicant has satisfied any otherwise potential disqualification under section 268.095, subdivision 10.

Subd. 3. Eligibility determination. (a) The commissioner shall determine any issue of eligibility raised by an employer, whether timely or untimely, and mail to the applicant and that employer at the last known address a determination of eligibility or a determination of ineligibility, as is appropriate.

(b) The commissioner shall determine any issue of eligibility raised by information obtained from an applicant and mail to the applicant at the last known address a determination of eligibility or a determination of ineligibility, as is appropriate. A determination shall be made pursuant to this paragraph even if a notified employer has not raised the issue of eligibility.

(c) If any time within 24 months from the establishment of a benefit account the commissioner finds the applicant failed to provide, on an application for unemployment benefits or on a continued request for unemployment benefits, requested information on an issue of eligibility, the commissioner shall determine the issue of eligibility and mail to the applicant at the last known address a determination of eligibility or a determination of ineligibility, as is appropriate.

This paragraph shall not prevent the imposition of a penalty under section 268.18, subdivision 2, or 268.182.

(d) A determination of eligibility or determination of ineligibility shall be final unless an appeal is filed by the applicant or notified employer within 30 calendar days after mailing. The determination shall contain a prominent statement indicating the consequences of not appealing. Proceedings on the appeal shall be conducted in accordance with section 268.105.

(e) An issue of eligibility for purposes of this section shall include any question regarding the denial or allowing of unemployment benefits under sections 268.085, 268.086, 268.115, 268.125, 268.135, and 268.155.

(f) Only if an employer raised the issue of eligibility shall the employer be: (1) mailed the determination of eligibility or a determination of ineligibility, or (2) considered an involved employer for purposes of an appeal under section 268.105.

Subd. 3a. Direct hearing. Regardless of any provision of the Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Program Law, the commissioner or an unemployment law judge may refer any issue of disqualification, any issue of eligibility, or any other issue under sections 268.035 to 268.23, directly for hearing in accordance with section 268.105, subdivision 1. The status of the issue shall be the same as if a determination had been made and an appeal filed.

Subd. 4. Amended determination. Unless an appeal has been filed, the commissioner, on the commissioner's own motion, may reconsider a determination of disqualification or nondisqualification or a determination of eligibility or ineligibility that has not become final and issue an amended determination. Any amended determination shall be mailed to the applicant and any involved employer at the last known address. Any amended determination shall be final unless an appeal is filed by the applicant or notified employer within 30 calendar days after mailing. Proceedings on the appeal shall be conducted in accordance with section 268.105.

Subd. 5. Unemployment benefit payment. If a determination or amended determination allows unemployment benefits to an applicant, the unemployment benefits shall be paid regardless of any appeal period or any appeal having been filed.

Subd. 6. Overpayment. A determination or amended determination that holds an applicant disqualified or ineligible for unemployment benefits for periods an applicant has been paid benefits is considered an overpayment of those unemployment benefits under section 268.18, subdivision 1.

Subd. 7. Renumbered 268.19 subd 2

HIST: 1996 c 417 s 21; 1997 c 66 s 55-58,79; 1998 c 265 s 30; 1999 c 107 s 45,66; 2000 c 343 s 4; 2001 c 175 s 42,43,52

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes