This program is subject to available funding. The Employment Security Department must develop a process to ensure that expenditures do not exceed available funds. The Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, in cooperation with the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges and the Employment Security Department, is directed to review the program and report to the Legislature by December 1, 2002. The review must include a demographic analysis of the participants, the duration of training benefits actually claimed per claimant, the type of training provided, each participant's subsequent employment and wage history, the impact of the program on employers' unemployment insurance contributions, and identification of administrative costs. The Employment Security Department must collect data on individuals who are disqualified and those who requalify for UI benefits.
All demographic data is subject to the department's provisions regarding confidentiality.
Requalification for Unemployment Insurance Benefits Individuals who are disqualified from receiving unemployment insurance benefits for voluntarily quitting work without good cause, for being discharged for misconduct, or for refusing to accept suitable work may purge their disqualification by allowing a lapse of seven weeks, rather than five weeks, and by earning seven times his or her weekly benefit amount, rather than five times the weekly benefit amount. Individuals who quit work to follow a spouse who changes employment to a different labor market area due to an employer-initiated mandatory transfer may establish this as a voluntary quit for good cause and may receive unemployment insurance benefits. If an individual quits work because of marital status or domestic responsibility, including quitting work to follow a spouse who voluntarily changes employment to a different labor market area, the individual is disqualified but may requalify by allowing a lapse of seven weeks, rather than five weeks, and by earning seven times his or her weekly benefit amount, rather than five times, or may report in person to a local job service office for 10 weeks that he or she is able to work and is seeking work. Legislative Task Force A Legislative Task Force of 15 members is established to review and recommend changes in the unemployment insurance system to the Legislature by December 1, 2000.