An Act Regarding Unemployment Compensation for Workers Involved in Certain Seasonal Occupations
Sec. 1. 26 MRSA §1043, sub-§6-B is enacted to read:
Sec. 2. 26 MRSA §1192, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2013, c. 314, §1, is further amended to read:
The individual must actively seek work each week in which a claim for benefits is filed unless the individual is participating in approved training under subsection 6 or work search has been waived in accordance with rules adopted by the commission and provide evidence of work search efforts in a manner and form as prescribed by the Department of Labor. An individual who works in the construction industry, has worked for at least 20 weeks in the 12 months prior to making a claim for benefits pursuant to subsection 1 and has a date to return to work for a previous employer is not required to engage in work search efforts. An individual who works in the logging industry is not required to engage in work search efforts from April 1st to June 1st. Failure to provide required work search documentation results in a denial of benefits in accordance with section 1194, subsection 2 for the week or weeks for which no documentation was provided unless the department determines there is good cause for the individual's failure to comply with this requirement;
summary
This bill amends the unemployment compensation laws to provide that an individual who works in the construction industry, has worked for at least 20 weeks in the 12 months prior to making a claim for benefits and has a date to return to work for a previous employer is not required to engage in work search efforts. It also provides that an individual who works in the logging industry is not required to engage in work search efforts from April 1st to June 1st.