April 7, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives O’Connor, Gundrum, Brooks, Rozar, Petryk, Sortwell, Edming, Behnke, Moses, Nedweski, Plumer, Knodl, Macco, Brandtjen, Petersen, Wichgers, Gustafson and Rettinger, cosponsored by Senators Feyen, Stroebel, Nass and Felzkowski. Referred to Committee on Workforce Development and Economic Opportunities.
AB152,,22An Act to create 108.14 (10m), 108.14 (23m), 108.14 (29) and 108.14 (30) of the statutes; relating to: various changes to the unemployment insurance law and authorizing the secretary of administration to transfer employees from any executive branch agency to the Department of Workforce Development for certain purposes. AB152,,33Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau Unemployment insurance
This bill makes various changes in the unemployment insurance (UI) law, which is administered by the Department of Workforce Development. Significant changes include all of the following:
Identity proofing
The bill requires DWD to implement identity-proofing measures for UI claimants who are engaging in benefit-related transactions with DWD that 1) require a claimant to verify his or her identity prior to filing an initial claim for benefits and when engaging in other transactions with DWD, and 2) achieve the IAL2 and AAL2 standards adopted in the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Digital Identity Guidelines.
Education and informational materials
Current law requires DWD to compile and provide to employers certain information about how the UI system works, including a handbook on the UI system for employers and information concerning the financing of the UI system that is published on DWD’s website. The bill requires DWD to also provide certain training materials for employers and claimants on the UI system. The bill requires DWD to publish training videos on its website and also to provide live training seminars for employing units that are free of charge and provided on a quarterly basis.
Assistance call center
The bill requires DWD to operate a call center to assist claimants for UI benefits or similar federal payments. Under the bill, if the volume of calls has increased by 300 percent or more over the same week during the previous year or if there is a declared state of emergency for the state that causes or relates to an increase in UI claims, DWD is required to increase the hours for the call center to include evening hours after 5 p.m. and weekend hours.
Database comparisons
The bill requires DWD to perform a comparison of state and national databases that track death records, employment records, and prison records against recipients of UI benefits for the purposes of detecting fraud or erroneous payments. The bill requires DWD to perform the comparison on at least a weekly basis. The bill provides that DWD may also make such comparisons with other databases.