BILL NUMBER:S5661

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the labor law, in relation to
regulations promulgated for systematic and sustained efforts to find
work for unemployment benefits

PURPOSE:

To ensure that unemployment insurance claimants providing child care
for their children are able to satisfy the standards for proof of work
search efforts.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill would amend subdivision 2 of section 591 of the
labor law to provide that the Commissioner of Labor's regulations
defining systematic and sustained efforts to find work and setting
standards for proof of work search efforts shall take into account the
need to provide child care and ensure that claimants providing child
care for their children are able to satisfy the standards for proof of
work search efforts.

Section two of the bill provides for an effective date of December 7,
2015.

EXISTING LAW:
              

Current law requires the Commissioner of Labor to promulgate
regulations defining systematic and sustained efforts to find work and
setting standards for the proof of work search efforts. This bill
would require that child care concerns are incorporated in such
regulations.

JUSTIFICATION:

When a worker loses a job through no fault of their own, they often
lose heir child care as well. In order to maintain unemployment
benefits, most claimants must actively seek work by engaging in
systematic and sustained efforts to find work. The Commissioner of
Labor is charged with promulgating regulations defining systematic and
sustained efforts to find work and also setting standards for the
proof of work search efforts. When a claimant seeking work also has
child care responsibilities, it may be extremely difficult for them to
meet the requirements of systematic and sustained work search efforts.
It is important that the implementation of the work search
requirements not ignore the fact that claimants seeking work must
often also care for their children. The work search requirements must
allow claimants the ability to care for their children and search for
employment. Claimants should not fear losing their benefits because
they are caring for their children.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:


Unknown

LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Unknown

EFFECTIVE DATE:

December 7th 2015