ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
Purpose
Eliminates the one-week
waiting requirement for eligibility for unemployment benefits for individuals
who are required to attend uncompensated training as a condition of remaining
employed.
Background
Under current law, individuals seeking unemployment benefits are required to meet different criteria, including having been unemployed for a waiting period of one week. In many situations, workers are required to receive uncompensated training as a condition to keep their employment. According to the AFL-CIO, many times unions or other organizations are able to pay for the member’s or employee’s training but cannot afford to replace the weekly wages for that worker. Concern has been expressed that this situation creates economic hardships on these individuals and their families. S.B. 1018 removes the waiting week period for these individuals to enable them to receive a week of unemployment benefits for a week of uncompensated training, for a total of up to five weeks of unemployment benefits each benefit year.
While the expansion of the
eligibility for unemployment benefits may impact the unemployment trust fund
and employer tax rates, the extent of this impact is unknown at this time.
Provisions
1. Eliminates the required one week waiting period for the purpose of qualifying for up to five weeks of unemployment insurance benefits (one week of benefits for each week of training) if a person is required to attend uncompensated training as a condition for keeping a job.
2. Provides for a general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Staff
January 23, 2001