2016 -- H 7344

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- EMPLOYMENT SECURITY --

BENEFITS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Gallison, Marshall, Abney, Shekarchi, and Maldonado

     Date Introduced: January 27, 2016

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 28-44-14 of the General Laws in Chapter 28-44 entitled

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"Employment Security - Benefits" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     28-44-14. Waiting period. -- (a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (e) of this

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section, the waiting period of any individual shall be either:

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      (1) Seven (7) consecutive days, commencing with the Sunday of the week in which the

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claimant filed a claim for benefits, during which that individual is totally unemployed due to lack

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of work; or

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      (2) Seven (7) consecutive days, commencing with the Sunday of the week in which the

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claimant filed a claim for benefits, during which that individual is employed less than full time

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due to lack of work and during which he or she has earned remuneration for services performed

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in an amount less than his or her weekly benefit rate; provided, that no waiting period credit can

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be given in either case if a disqualification has been imposed with respect to the whole or any

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portion of that seven (7) day period under § 28-44-12 or §§ 28-44-16 -- 28-44-21.

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      (b) No waiting period shall be given to any individual unless he or she has filed a valid

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claim in accordance with regulations adopted as prescribed.

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      (c) Benefits shall be payable to an eligible individual only for those weeks of his or her

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unemployment within a benefit year which occur subsequent to one waiting period, which shall

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be served at any time during the benefit year.

 

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      (d) No period of total or partial unemployment shall be counted towards an individual's

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required waiting period if, with respect to any portion of that period of unemployment, benefits

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have been paid under the employment security act. or temporary disability insurance acts of any

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other state or of any similar acts of any foreign government, or if benefits have been paid under

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the Temporary Disability Insurance Act of this state or under any similar acts of the United

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States. There shall be no waiting period for any individual transitioning from temporary disability

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insurance benefits from any other state or foreign government or if benefits have been paid under

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the temporary disability insurance act of this state or under any similar acts of the United States.

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      (e) In the event that an individual's unemployment is due to a natural disaster or state of

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emergency, there shall be no waiting period.

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      (f) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, no waiting period shall be in effect

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from the date of enactment of this article through June 30, 2009.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- EMPLOYMENT SECURITY --

BENEFITS

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     This act would eliminate the waiting period for individuals transitioning from temporary

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disability payments from any other state or foreign government or payments paid from the state

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of Rhode Island or the government of the United States to unemployment benefits.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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