Sec. 1. 26 MRSA §1192, sub-§3, as repealed and replaced by PL 1983, c. 816, Pt. A, §22, is amended to read:

3. Is able and available for work. He The individual is able to work and is available for full-time work at his the individual's usual or customary trade, occupation, profession or business or in such other trade, occupation, profession or business for which his the individual's prior training or experience shows him the individual to be fitted or qualified; and in addition to having complied with subsection 2 is himself actively seeking work in accordance with the regulations of the commission; provided that no ineligibility may be found solely because the claimant is unable to accept employment on a shift, the greater part of which falls between the hours of midnight to 5 a.m., and is unavailable for that employment because of parental obligation, the need to care for an immediate family member, or the unavailability of a personal care attendant required to assist the unemployed individual who is a handicapped person; and provided that an unemployed individual who is neither able nor available for work due to good cause as determined by the deputy shall be is eligible to receive prorated benefits for that portion of the week during which he the individual was able and available; except that, beginning January 1, 2004 an individual who is not available for full-time work as required in this subsection is not disqualified from receiving benefits if the person is available for part-time work, in accordance with rules adopted by the Department of Labor.__Rules adopted to implement this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A;

SUMMARY

Under current law, an unemployed individual is eligible to receive unemployment benefits only if the individual is available for full-time work. This bill provides that, beginning January 1, 2004, an individual who is not available for full-time work is not disqualified from receiving benefits if the person is available for part-time work.