CCS SCS HCS HB 1075 -- UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION

This bill changes the laws regarding unemployment compensation.

UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION FUND

The bill removes the provision which prohibits the unpaid
principal amount of outstanding credit instruments in the
Unemployment Compensation Fund, combined with the unpaid
principal amount of any financing agreement authorized and issued
by the Board of Unemployment Fund Financing, from exceeding $450
million at any one time and removes the provision which prohibits
the current total amount of outstanding obligations under all
financial agreements entered into by the board from exceeding the
difference of $450 million and the principal amount of
outstanding credit instruments.

FEDERAL EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

Certain provisions are changed regarding the state's eligibility
to receive federal extended unemployment benefit money to provide
unemployed individuals benefits beyond the current unemployment
benefit period and the amount of the extended unemployment
benefits an eligible individual can receive.  Beginning
February 1, 2009, and ending December 5, 2009, the state is
eligible to receive federal extended unemployment benefit money
when:

(1)  The average state unemployment rate as determined by the
United States Secretary of Labor for the most recent three-month
period is 6.5% or higher; and

(2)  The average state unemployment rate of 6.5% or higher
exceeds 110% of the average of the unemployment rate for either
or both of the corresponding three-month periods ending in the
two preceding calendar years.

The bill specifies that an individual will be eligible to receive
federal extended unemployment benefits in a high unemployment
period if he or she has exhausted all state benefits.  "High
unemployment period" means any period during which the state
unemployment rate for the most recent three-month period is 8% or
higher.  The total amount of extended benefits an eligible
unemployed individual may receive is the lesser of:

(1)  80% for 50% of the total unemployment benefit amount which
was payable in the applicable benefit year; or

(2)  20 times for 13 times the weekly benefit amount which was
payable for a week of total unemployment in the applicable
benefit year.

EXPANDED FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

The state is authorized to receive federal unemployment benefit
money pending certification by the United States Secretary of
Labor under 42 U.S.C.1103, as amended by the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act of 2009, commonly known as the federal
economic stimulus act, for expanding unemployment compensation
eligibility criteria.  No claimant will be disqualified from
unemployment compensation if he or she is separated from work for
compelling family reasons including:

(1)  The illness or disability of a member of the claimant's
immediate family;

(2)  The need for the claimant to accompany the claimant's spouse
to a location from which it is impractical for the claimant to
commute due to a change in location of the spouse's employment;
or

(3)  Verified domestic violence which causes the claimant to
reasonably believe that the claimant's continued employment would
jeopardize his or her safety or the safety of any member of the
claimant's family as defined by the United States Secretary of
Labor.

A claimant who is training under the Workforce Investment Act of
1998 or director-approved training under Section 288.055, RSMo,
and who has exhausted his or her regular unemployment benefits
will be eligible for additional benefits up to 26 times the
amount of his or her weekly benefit amount.  The training
benefits will be paid under the same terms and conditions as the
claimant's regular benefits and after any extended benefits or
similar benefits have been paid by a federally funded program.
Priority for training funds must be given to claimants laid off
through no fault of their own from Missouri automobile
manufacturing facilities.

The provisions regarding the expanded eligibility criteria for
federal unemployment benefits must be renewed in the next regular
session of the General Assembly or they will expire when the
funds provided by the federal act are expended.  These provisions
will not take effect and no benefits will be paid unless first
certified by the United States Secretary of Labor under federal
regulations.

The bill contains an emergency clause.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated November 17, 2009 at 9:26 am