2006 Minnesota Statutes

268.07 BENEFIT ACCOUNT.
    Subdivision 1. Application for unemployment benefits; determination of benefit
account. (a) An application for unemployment benefits may be filed in person, by mail, or by
electronic transmission as the commissioner shall require. The applicant must be unemployed at
the time the application is filed and must provide all requested information in the manner required.
If the applicant is not unemployed at the time of the application or fails to provide all requested
information, the communication shall not be considered an application for unemployment benefits.
(b) The commissioner shall examine each application for unemployment benefits to
determine the base period and the benefit year, and based upon all the covered employment in the
base period the commissioner shall determine the weekly unemployment benefit amount available,
if any, and the maximum amount of unemployment benefits available, if any. The determination
shall be known as the determination of benefit account. A determination of benefit account shall
be sent to the applicant and all base period employers, by mail or electronic transmission.
(c) If a base period employer did not provide wage information for the applicant as
provided for in section 268.044, or provided erroneous information, the commissioner may
accept an applicant certification as to wage credits, based upon the applicant's records, and issue
a determination of benefit account.
(d) The commissioner may, at any time within 24 months from the establishment of a benefit
account, reconsider any determination of benefit account and make an amended determination
if the commissioner finds that the determination was incorrect for any reason. An amended
determination shall be promptly sent to the applicant and all base period employers, by mail
or electronic transmission.
If an amended determination of benefit account reduces the weekly unemployment benefit
amount or maximum amount of unemployment benefits available, any unemployment benefits
that have been paid greater than the applicant was entitled is considered an overpayment of
unemployment benefits under section 268.18, subdivision 1.
    Subd. 2. Benefit account requirements and weekly unemployment benefit amount and
maximum amount of unemployment benefits. (a) To establish a benefit account, an applicant
must have:
(1) high quarter wage credits of at least $1,000; and
(2) wage credits, in other than the high quarter, of at least $250.
(b) If an applicant has established a benefit account, the weekly unemployment benefit
amount available during the benefit year shall be the higher of:
(1) 50 percent of the applicant's average weekly wage during the base period, to a maximum
of 66-2/3 percent of the state's average weekly wage; or
(2) 50 percent of the applicant's average weekly wage during the high quarter, to a maximum
of 45 percent of the state's average weekly wage.
The applicant's average weekly wage under clause (1) shall be computed by dividing the
total wage credits by 52. The applicant's average weekly wage under clause (2) shall be computed
by dividing the high quarter wage credits by 13.
(c) The state's maximum weekly unemployment benefit amount and an applicant's weekly
unemployment benefit amount and maximum amount of unemployment benefits available shall
be rounded down to the next lower whole dollar. The state's maximum weekly benefit amount,
computed in accordance with section 268.035, subdivision 23, shall apply to a benefit account
established effective on or after the first Sunday in August. Once established, an applicant's
weekly unemployment benefit amount shall not be affected by the first Sunday in August change
in the state's maximum weekly unemployment benefit amount.
(d) The maximum amount of unemployment benefits available on any benefit account shall
be the lower of:
(1) 33-1/3 percent of the applicant's total wage credits; or
(2) 26 times the applicant's weekly unemployment benefit amount.
    Subd. 2a.[Repealed by amendment, 1996 c 417 s 9]
    Subd. 3. Second benefit account requirements. To establish a second benefit account
following the expiration of a benefit year on a prior benefit account, an applicant must have
sufficient wage credits to establish a benefit account under subdivision 2 and must have performed
services in covered employment after the effective date of the prior benefit account. The wages
paid for that employment must equal not less than eight times the weekly unemployment benefit
amount of the prior benefit account. The purpose of this subdivision is to prevent an applicant
from establishing more than one benefit account as a result of one loss of employment.
    Subd. 3a. Right of appeal. (a) A determination or amended determination of benefit account
shall be final unless an applicant or base period employer within 30 calendar days after the
sending of the determination or amended determination files an appeal. Every determination or
amended determination of benefit account shall contain a prominent statement indicating in clear
language the consequences of not appealing. Proceedings on the appeal shall be conducted in
accordance with section 268.105.
(b) Any applicant or base period employer may appeal from a determination or amended
determination of benefit account on the issue of whether services performed constitute
employment and covered employment. Proceedings on the appeal shall be conducted in
accordance with section 268.105.
    Subd. 3b. Limitations. (a) A benefit account shall be established effective the Sunday
of the calendar week that the application for unemployment benefits was filed. Upon specific
request of an applicant, an application for unemployment benefits may be backdated one calendar
week prior to the Sunday of the week the application was actually filed. An application shall be
backdated only if the applicant was unemployed throughout the period of the backdating. If an
individual attempted to file an application for unemployment benefits, but was prevented from
filing an application by the department, the benefit account shall be effective the Sunday of the
calendar week the individual first attempted to file an application.
(b) A benefit account, once established, may later be withdrawn only if:
(1) a new application for unemployment benefits is filed and a new benefit account is
established at the time of the withdrawal; and
(2) the applicant has not served a waiting week under section 268.085, subdivision 1,
clause (5).
A determination or amended determination pursuant to section 268.101, that was issued
before the withdrawal of the benefit account, shall remain in effect and shall not be voided by
the withdrawal of the benefit account. A determination of disqualification requiring subsequent
earnings to satisfy the disqualification under section 268.095, subdivision 10, shall apply to the
weekly unemployment benefit amount on the new benefit account.
(c) An application for unemployment benefits shall not be allowed prior to the Sunday
following the expiration of the benefit year on a prior benefit account. Except as allowed under
paragraph (b), a applicant may establish only one benefit account each 52 calendar weeks.
    Subd. 4.MS 1949 [Repealed, 1951 c 442 s 3]
    Subd. 4.MS 1980 [Repealed, 1Sp1982 c 1 s 43]
    Subd. 5.[Repealed, 1975 c 336 s 25]
    Subd. 6.[Repealed, 1947 c 32 s 9]
History: (4337-25) Ex1936 c 2 s 5; 1937 c 306 s 3; 1939 c 443 s 4; 1941 c 554 s 4; 1943 c
650 s 3; 1945 c 376 s 4; 1947 c 432 s 6; 1949 c 605 s 7,8; 1951 c 442 s 3; 1953 c 587 s 1; 1955 c
816 s 1; 1957 c 780 s 1; 1965 c 741 s 12,13; 1967 c 573 s 4; 1969 c 854 s 7; 1971 c 408 s 1;
1971 c 942 s 7,8; Ex1971 c 10 s 1; 1973 c 599 s 5; 1975 c 104 s 1; 1975 c 336 s 11; 1977 c 4 s
6; 1977 c 297 s 12; 1979 c 284 s 1; 1Sp1982 c 1 s 13-15; 1983 c 372 s 17,18; 1985 c 248 s 70;
1986 c 444; 1987 c 242 s 2; 1987 c 362 s 13-15; 1987 c 385 s 19; 1989 c 65 s 6,7; 1989 c 209 art
2 s 1; 1990 c 516 s 3; 1992 c 484 s 8; 1996 c 417 s 9,31; 1997 c 66 s 29-32,79; 1998 c 265 s
23; 1998 c 408 s 3; 1999 c 107 s 41,66; 2000 c 343 s 4; 2001 c 175 s 23-26; 1Sp2003 c 3 art
1 s 7; art 2 s 8,20; 2004 c 183 s 50-52; 2005 c 112 art 2 s 16