An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Unemployment Compensation
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1564
Committee Amendment CA_A_S223 (Senate)
Amends: 26 MRSA §1051, 26 MRSA §1190, 26 MRSA §1191

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "Jt\ "to S.P. 507, L.D. 1564, "An Act To Amend the 
Laws Governing Unemployment Compensation" 
Amend the bill in section 1 in paragraph B in the last line (page 1, line 13 in L.D.) by 
inserting after the following: "subsection." the following: 'On the first Sunday of June 2022 
and each first Sunday of June thereafter, the excess earnings cap then in effect must be 
increased by the increase, if any, in the cost of living. The increase in the cost of living 
must be measured by the percentage increase, if any, as of December of the previous year 
over the level as of December of the year preceding that year in the Consumer Price Index 
for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, CPI-W, for the Northeast Region, or its 
successor index, as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor 
Statistics or its successor agency, with the amount of the excess earnings cap rounded up 
to the nearest dollar.' 
Amend the bill by insetting after section 6 the following: 
'Sec. 7. 26 MRSA §1051, sub-§9, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 464, §4, is amended 
to read: 
9. Interest on overpayments. Benefit payments mved to the commissioner bear 
interest at the rate of 1.0% per month or per fraction of a month. Except as provided in this 
subsection, interest accrues on any balance that remains unpaid one year after the first of 
the month following the date the deteimination establishing the benefit overpayment 
becomes final until payment plus accrued interest is received by the bureau. If the A benefit 
overpayment was established in a determination rendered under section 1193, subsection 
6, accrues interest accrues at the rate of 1.0% per month or per fraction of a month from 
the first of the month following the date the detennination establishing the benefit 
overpayment becomes final until payment plus accrued interest is received by the bureau.' 
3 
Amend the bill by insetting after section 10 the following: 
'Sec. 11. 26 MRSA §1190, sub-§2, ~C, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 740, § 1, is 
5 
amended to read: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
B.OS COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" ij "to S.P. 507, L.D. 1564 ( S-L"Z-3) 
l 
C. Review of the impact of a proposed benefit change on recipient groups, including 
an analysis by gender, income levels and geographic distribution; -arul 
Sec. 12. 26 MRSA §1190, sub-§2, ~C-1 is enacted to read: 
C-1. The proiected impact of the proposed change on the State's unemployment 
insurance recipiency rate. For purposes of this paragraph, "recipiency rate" means the 
number of insured unemployed persons in regular unemployment insurance programs 
as a percent of total unemployed persons; and' 
Amend the bill. by inserting after section 11 the following: 
'Sec. 12. 26 MRSA §1191, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. CCCCC, 
§1, is fmther amended to read: 
3. Weekly benefit for partial unemployment. Each eligible individual who is 
partially unemployed in any week must be paid a partial benefit for that week. The partial 
benefit is equal to the weekly benefit amount less the individual's weekly earnings in excess 
of $25, except that, beginning the first full benefit week beginning on or after January 1, 
2018, the partial benefit is equal to the weekly benefit amount less the individual's weekly 
earnings in excess of $100. On the first Sunday of June 2022 and each first Sunday of June 
thereafter, the individual's earnings disregard then in effect must be increased by the 
increase, if any, in the cost of living. The increase in the cost of living must be measured 
by the percentage increase, if any, as of December of the previous year over the level as of 
December of the year preceding that year in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage 
Earners and Clerical Workers, CPI-W, for the Northeast Region, or its successor index, as 
published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics or its 
successor agency, with the amount of the individual's earnings disregard rounded up to the 
nearest dollar. The following amounts are not considered wages for purposes of this 
subsection: 
A. Amounts received from the Federal Government by a member of the National 
Guard and organized reserve, including base pay and allowances; 
B. Amounts received as a volunteer firefighter or as a volunteer emergency medical 
services person; 
C. Amounts received as an elected member of the Legislature; and 
D. Earnings for the week received as a result of participation in full-time training under 
the United States Trade Act of 1974 as amended by the United States Trade and 
Globalization Adjustment Assistance Act of 2009 up to an amount equal to the 
individual's most recent weekly benefit amount.' 
Amend the bill in section 12 in subsection 6 in the 14th line (page 6, line 20 in L.D.) 
by striking out the following: "60%" and inserting the following: '75%' 
Amend the bill in section 12 in subsection 6 in the first blocked paragraph in the first 
line (page 6, line 21 in L.D.) by inse1ting the following: 'Only one individual is entitled to 
a dependency allowance for the same dependent with respect to any week.' 
Amend the bill in section 12 in subsection 6 by striking out all of the 2nd blocked 
paragraph (page 6, lines 24 to 29 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
·coMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~Q$ 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "fr "to S.P. 507, L.D. 1564 ( <;.-2.l?) 
No individual may be eligible to receive dependency allov,1ances as provided in this 
subsection for any 'tVeek during 'Nhich that individual's spouse is employed full time 
provided that the spouse is contributing some support to their dependent or dependents. For 
purposes of this subsection, "employed full time" means the receipt of any v1ages, earnings, 
salary or other income equivalent to that amount that v,1ould be received for a 4 0 hour vmrk 
~ 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 18. 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 21. 
Amend the bill by inserting after section 32 the following: 
IO 
'Sec. 33. 26 MRSA c. 26-A, as amended, is amended by amending the chapter 
headnote to read: 
CHAPTER 26-A 
PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR DISPLACED WORI(ERS PROGRAMS 
Sec. 34. 26 MRSA c. 26-A, sub-c. 1, headnote is enacted by adding before section 
2061 the following to read: 
SUBCHAPTER 1 
PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR DISPLACED WORKERS 
Sec. 35. 26 MRSA c. 26-A, sub-c. 2 is enacted to read: 
SUBCHAPTER 2 
PEER WORKFORCE NAVIGATOR PROGRAM 
§2065. Peer workforce navigator pilot program 
1. General requirements. No later than January 1, 2022, the Commissioner of Labor, 
refe1Ted to in this subchapter as "the commissioner," shall implement the peer workforce 
navigator pilot program for a period of 2 years in accordance with this section to contract 
with qualified entities to assist workers in reentering the workforce by: 
A. Promoting access to reemployment services, including apprenticeship and other 
. education and training opportunities; 
B. 
Assisting unemployed and underemployed individuals to access resources 
necessary to meet their basic needs during the reemployment process; 
C. Educating workers about the manner in which unemployment insurance benefits 
may be coordinated with part-time employment and approved training opp01tunities; 
D. Raising awareness of the availability of unemployment benefits for underserved 
and marginalized individuals and assisting those individuals in accessing benefits; and 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"YI- "to S.P. 507, L.D. 1564 {s~Z.,Z.,,~ 
E. Identifying systemic obstacles to receiving benefits or services necessary to supp01i 
successful reemployment efforts. 
The commissioner shall provide appropriate supp01i from Bureau of Unemployment 
Compensation staff to entities receiving peer workforce navigator contracts under this 
section, including support resolving the issues of individual claimants and job seekers and 
systemic issues that present baniers to timely receipt of reemployment services or 
unemployment compensation benefits. 
2. Qualified entities. To be eligible to receive a peer workforce navigator contract 
under this section, an entity must: 
A. Demonstrate that it has existing peer relationships or is able to readily establish 
such relationships with unemployed or underemployed individuals; 
B. Have the capability to carry out the duties of this section, including knowledge of 
eligibility requirements, application processes and other substantive provisions and 
processes related to the unemployment compensation program, reemployment 
services, education and training services and other resources necessary to help 
unemployed or underemployed individuals increase their economic security; 
C. Maintain strict confidentiality standards to ensure the privacy of all information 
collected from individuals receiving peer workforce navigator services; and 
D. Provide peer workforce navigator services under this section without charge to the 
individual receiving those services. 
3. Commissioner's duties; award criteria; navigator services. The commissioner 
shall establish standards for the awarding of contracts to qualified entities in accordance 
with this subsection. 
A. The commissioner may award multiple contracts to perform one or more of the peer 
workforce navigator services described in this section. 
B. 
To support the maintenance of relationships between qualified entities and 
unemployed and underemployed individuals and to ensure a high quality of service, 
the commissioner shall award contracts to qualified entities for the duration of the pilot 
project period as long as the qualified entity satisfies perfonnance standards set f01ih 
in the contract awards. 
C .. The commissioner shall give priority for peer workforce navigator contracts to a 
qualified entity that: 
(1) Has an organizational mission that requires the entity to represent the interest 
of unemployed or underemployed individuals; 
(2) Represents a membership base of workers; or 
(3) Is a recognized source of support or advocacy for underserved groups including 
racial and ethnic minorities, persons with low literacy and persons with disabilities. 
D. Peer workforce navigator services provided by qualified entities that receive peer 
workforce navigator contracts must be coordinated with and supplement, not supplant, 
services provided by the Department of Labor. 
E. The commissioner shall ensure that the following peer workforce navigator services 
are provided through qualified entities awarded peer workforce navigator contracts in 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 'fq "to S.P. 507, L.D. 1564 { S, l7..., ~ 
accordance with this section and that these peer workforce navigator services are 
coordinated throughout the State: 
(1) Outreach to identify individuals who need support in accessing sustainable 
employment or are potentially eligible for unemployment compensation benefits 
but who may be unaware of their eligibility, including eligibility for partial 
unemployment benefits or dislocated worker benefits; 
(2) Targeted public education initiatives related to services available to job seekers 
and unemployed or underemployed individuals; 
(3) 
Individual assistance in applying for and making ongoing claims for 
unemployment compensation benefits, including as they relate to partial 
unemployment benefits and assistance for dislocated or marginalized workers; 
( 4) 
Assistance in identifying appropriate reemployment services, including 
oppo1tunities for education, training and apprenticeship, to increase employability 
for high-wage, in-demand iobs; 
(5) Referrals for unemployed or underemployed individuals to resources necessary 
to help those individuals meet their basic needs during the reemployment process; 
( 6) Appropriate training to ensure the quality and accuracy of peer workforce 
navigator services, including training on how to most effectively assist 
communities that are underrepresented in receiving reemployment services and 
unemployment compensation benefits; and 
(7) Identification of systemic issues creating barriers to successful reemployment 
for unemployed and underemployed individuals, including improvements to the 
unemployment insurance program to reduce those barriers, and presentation of 
those issues to the commissioner, who shall promptly resolve or relay those issues 
to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over labor 
and housing matters. 
All peer workforce navigator services provided under this subsection must be performed 
in a manner that is culturally and linguistically appropriate to the needs of the population 
being served, including individuals with limited English proficiency, persons with low 
literacy and persons with disabilities, and must recognize the varying levels of digital 
literacy and access to technology among individuals in need of services. 
4. Funding. The Department of Labor shall seek sources of revenue other than the 
General Fund and the Unemployment Trust Fund for the peer workforce navigator pilot 
program under this subchapter. 
· Sec. 36. Unemployment insurance working group. The Commissioner of 
Labor shall convene a working group to review and make recommendations and a repo1t 
related to ce1tain provisions of the unemployment insurance program under the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 26, chapter 13. The commissioner shall appoint members of the 
working group that include stakeholders representing the interest of employers and 
employees and shall convene the first meeting of the working group no later than 
September 30, 2021. 
1. In developing its recommendations and report under this section, the working group 
shall examine the following issues: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~os 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"n- "to S.P. 507, L.D. 1564 { S, · 2, 1.3) 
A. 
Methods of connecting employers and unemployed workers following the 
pandemic related to coronavirus disease 2019; 
B. Processes and methods to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the work-
sharing plan established under Title 26, section 1198; 
C. A determination regarding whether the provisions of Title 26, section 1044 are 
working effectively to achieve the protection of rights and benefits goals; 
D. 
Methods to streamline and facilitate application for unemployment insurance 
benefits that will increase access for unemployed workers, simplify repo1ting 
requirements for employers and determine any clarifications or modifications that may 
be needed related to the submission of partial unemployment claim forms in 
accordance with Title 26, section 1194, subsection 1-A; 
E. How an employer liaison contract might be designed to provide assistance to the 
business community in interacting with the unemployment insurance program, focused 
on the goal of reducing administrative burden and improving user experience, 
including recommendations of a funding source to support such a contract; 
F. 
Whether unemployed individuals have completed reemployment services and 
eligibility assessment with the Department of Labor within the prior 5 years and 
whether these individuals should be considered to have good cause for not pa1ticipating 
in reemployment services and eligibility assessment under Title 26, section 1192, 
subsections 2 and 13; and 
G. Any software or technology issues contributing to delays, claims processing issues 
and paperwork burden to businesses that may be resolved through technological means 
or any ways to promote improved claimant or employer user experience and interface 
with the unemployment insurance system. 
2. No later than January 15, 2022, the Commissioner of Labor shall submit the repo1t 
and recommendations developed pursuant to this section, including any suggested 
legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. The Joint Standing 
Committee on Labor and Housing may submit a bill in response to this report to the Second 
Regular Session of the 130th Legislature. 
Sec. 37. 
Analysis of unemployment insurance recipiency rate. 
The 
Department of Labor, Bureau of Unemployment Compensation shall complete an analysis 
of the State's unemployment insurance recipiency rate to investigate the factors that 
contribute to the State's low recipiency rate and make recommendations for improvement. 
For purposes of this section, "recipiency rate" has the same meaning as in the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 26, section 1190, subsection 2, paragraph C-1. In conducting this 
analysis, the bureau may use any reliable data or research available to the bureau or conduct 
additional research within available resources. 
1. The analysis must consider: 
A. The State's unemployment insurance recipiency rate as determined by the United 
States Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration for the most 
recently completed 20 calendar years; 
B. The State's unemployment insurance recipiency rate relative to the average of other 
New England states' recipiency rates; 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" '1 " to S.P. 507, L.D. 1564 ( S, -z;z..,3'\ 
C. An evaluation of the factors contributing to the State's low recipiency rate based on 
the consensus of national research or any available data for the State, including 
consideration of monetary and nonmonetary eligibility factors and lack of awareness 
of potential eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits; 
D. To the extent available from state or national research or data, the demographics, 
including gender, age, race, ethnicity, income and urban or rural geographic 
representation of unemployed individuals who do not file for unemployment benefits; 
and 
E. The adequacy of unemployment benefits to replace wages for wage earners at 
different income levels. 
2. The bureau shall issue a report with its recommendations, including any suggested 
legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing by February 1, 2022. 
Recommendations must include, but are not limited to: 
A. Administrative or legislative initiatives to increase awareness of and application 
rates for unemployment benefits; 
B. 
Changes in monetary and nonmonetary eligibility for unemployment benefits 
needed to increase the State's recipiency rate; 
C. A benchmark for the State's recipiency rate based on the experience of other New 
England states; and 
D. 
Any increase in staff capacity needed to comply with the core performance 
measures established by the United States Department of Labor related to 
unemployment insurance benefit promptness and accuracy and the timeliness of appeal 
determinations. 
The Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing is authorized to introduce legislation 
in response to this repott to the Second Regular Session of the 130th Legislature.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Pait letter or section 
number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment, which is the majority rep01t of the committee, makes the following 
changes to the bill. 
1. It specifies that the amount of wages a person may receive and still be considered 
pattially unemployed is indexed to the increase in the cost of living, if any, beginning the 
first Sunday of June 2022 and annually thereafter. 
2. It specifies that a benefit overpayment accrues interest at the rate of 1.0% per month 
or per fraction of a month from the first of the month following the date the determination 
establishing the benefit overpayment becomes final until payment plus accrued interest is 
received by the Department of Labor, Bureau of Unemployment Compensation. 
3. It requires that, whenever a legislative proposal containing an unemployment 
compensation benefit change is proposed, the bureau consider the estimated effect of the 
proposed change on the State's unemployment insurance recipiency rate. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" fr" to S.P. 507, L.D. 156(S-Z2,~ 
4. It adds a provision that an individual's earnings disregard in effect on the first Sunday 
of June 2022 and each first Sunday of June thereafter must increase by the increase, if any, 
in the cost of living. 
5. It changes the increase in .the maximum dependency benefit allowance proposed in 
the bill from 60% to 75% of the individual's weekly benefit amount and specifies that only 
one individual is entitled to a dependency allowance for the same dependent with respect 
to any week. 
6. It removes the elimination of a waiver requiring participation in reemployment 
services and eligibility assessment for anyone who has participated in the last 5 years. 
7. It removes the provision of the bill that changed the amount of earnings and earnings 
plus holiday pay an employee would have to earn before an employer did not have to offer 
the employee a partial unemployment claim form. 
8. It establishes a peer workforce navigator program. 
9. It requires the Commissioner of Labor to convene an unemployment insurance 
working group to examine the unemployment insurance program pursuant to the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 26, chapter 13. The commissioner must submit a report of the 
working group's recommendations and any suggested legislation to the Joint Standing 
Committee on Labor and Housing no later than January 15, 2022. 
10. It requires the Department of Labor, Bureau of Unemployment Compensation to 
complete an analysis of the State's unemployment insurance recipiency rate and to report 
to the Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing no later than February 1, 2022. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06/07 /2 l frac: 
LD 1564 
LR 454(02) 
An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Unemployment Compensation 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ',1f {S-l?$\ 
Committee: Labor and Housing 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Current biennium cost increase - Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund 
Current biennium cost increase - All funds 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
This legislation makes changes to the laws governing unemployment compensation including certain changes that will 
expand the amount of benefits paid out of the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund beginning in fiscal year 2021-
22. The impact to the trust fund will depend on the level of unemployment in the State. The estimated impact of 
these changes, developed by the Department of Labor, is provided in the table below. According to the department, 
low periods of unemployment are such periods that took place in 2019 and high periods of unemployment are such 
periods that occurred in 2009. These changes are not expected to result in an increase in an unemployment tax 
schedule. Information from the deparhnent states that, generally, a benefit cost increase of $17.0 million or greater 
has the potential of causing an increase in the schedule in the following year. 
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The State, with a few exceptions, is a direct reimbursement employer and, as such, would experience an increase in 
unemployment compensation costs as a result of this legislation. The impact will depend on actual experience. 
Additional costs to the Deparhnent of Labor to implement the requirements of this legislation can be absorbed within 
existing budgeted resources.