NFIB’s State Director Bill G. Smith commended members of the Assembly who voted to approve a package of unemployment insurance bills that would help address the worker shortage by targeting fraud and UI benefit abuse.  The bills were approved by a roll call vote of 53-42.

Assembly Bill 162, a metric proposal that would collect and track workforce data.

Assembly Bill 167 provides important updates to work search requirements, and the misconduct statutes to qualify UI benefits.

Assembly Bill 168 would create a call center to assist claimants and employers with UI related questions , revises administrative procedures to more effectively detect fraud, and establishes UI education and training programs for employers, employees, and claimants.

Assembly Bill 169 would reduce or eliminate benefits for individuals who fail to show up for job interviews or report to work when hired.

Smith testified before the Assembly Committee on Workforce Development, Labor and Integrated Employment, “The unemployment insurance program is not a welfare program.  It is a program designed with the intent to provide temporary financial assistance to those individuals who lose their job through no fault of their own.”

The UI reform package includes a metric proposal that would collect and track workforce data, revise work search requirements, create new procedures to detect fraud, and reduce/eliminate benefits for individuals who fail to show up for job interviews or report to work when hired.

The bills were messaged to the Senate for further action.