Idaho Bills

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding personal eligibility conditions to qualify for unemployment benefits.

This legislation would define what qualifies as a “work search” activity that unemployment claimants must engage in to receive unemployment insurance benefits. Specifically, this bill requires claimants to conduct five work search actions per week in order to receive benefits. Idaho currently only requires two work search activities per week as outlined by administrative rule. The legislation also defines “work search” activities and requires these claimants to report to the Department which qualified “work search” activities they have conducted weekly. The final provision in this bill would explicitly prohibit the practice of “ghosting” of an employer interview by unemployment insurance claimants and would require the Department to maintain an email address and web portal for employers to report claimant “ghosting.”

Amends existing law to revise benefit formula provisions.

This legislation modifies the maximum duration of regular unemployment benefits and simplifies the existing complex benefit duration formula. Current law uses two variables to determine whether an unemployment claimantiseligibleforbetween10and26weeksofbenefits. Thislegislationproposesthatforpart-timeworkers a flat maximum of 10 weeks of benefits should be available, and for full-time workers a flat maximum of 14 weeks of benefits should be available. Furthermore, this bill allows for "attached" employees, or seasonal employees, to be eligible for an additional 6 weeks of benefits. This will help address the ongoing worker shortage in Idaho promoting a faster return to work for recently unemployed workers.