Be Informed – Focus on Unemployment Insurance Reforms

Dear WASS Members -

In early April, Wisconsin Assembly and Senate Republicans introduced a workforce package with particular focus on reforms to unemployment insurance. It is particularly critical for leaders in the staffing industry to be informed and knowledgeable about any changes to Unemployment Insurance laws – and WASS wants to keep you informed.

WASS will send a series of Legislative Minutes with information on each of the bills.  WMC (Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce) has shared much of this information in taking a pro-business stance in support of these bills.

WASS supports initiatives to reduce reliance on unemployment insurance and related workforce programs for those individuals fully capable of working.  Staffing provides a powerful bridge back to employment for workers as they transition from unemployment back to the workplace and these bills provide incentives to re-enter the workplace.

The following bills would provide for stronger tracking, reporting and documentation for workforce programs and allow for better evaluation and accountability within these programs.

AB 162/SB 201, relating to: performance metrics for workforce development programs

  1. Authors: Rep. Armstrong/Sen. Feyen
    1. This legislation requires any state agency that runs or participates in a workforce development program or activity to track and report the same data that DWD is required to track and report for its workforce programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. It is important for the legislature, the business community and the public to be able to evaluate the effectiveness of each program.
    2. Click here for WMC testimony – See the attached WMC testimony for more information as to related bills and a pro-business argument in support of each.

AB 167/SB 198, relating to: various changes to the unemployment insurance law and requiring approval by the Joint Committee on Finance of certain federally authorized unemployment benefits.

  1. Rep. Tucker/Sen. Wimberger
    1. This legislation includes unemployment insurance (UI) reforms such as, requiring audits of 50% of work search actions, requiring registration with local job center website and additional legislative oversight for enhanced federal benefits.
    2. Click here for WMC testimony

AB 168/SB 200; relating to: various changes to the unemployment insurance law.

  1. Rep. Kreibich/Sen. Feyen
    1. This legislation includes UI reforms such as flexibility in staffing at the Department of Workforce Development during high need events and requirements to double check a claimant’s identity, including weekly crosschecks with prison, employment, immigration and death databases.
    2. Click here for WMC testimony

AB 169/SB 196, relating to: various changes to the unemployment insurance law

  1. Rep. Knodl/Sen. Tomczyk
    1. This legislation creates a needed curb on individuals that miss interviews or fail to respond to interview requests or job offers (ghosting) by saying if a UI claimant does this, they are not considered to have conducted a reasonable search for work in a week and therefore they lose their weekly benefit for that week.
    2. Click here for WMC Testimony

A big THANK YOU to WASS Board Member, Mike Gotzler of Littler Mendelson for representing WASS on the State of Wisconsin’s Unemployment Insurance Council.

Additional gratitude to Rachel Ver Velde, WMC's Associate Vice President of Government Relations & Senior Political Advisor and our friends at Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce for continuing to monitor developments on these important programs and related issues.  WASS appreciates these efforts and is pleased to share these updates with our members to keep you informed and updated.

WASS Legislative Minutes…another great reason to for being a WASS Member.  As a voice for our industry in Wisconsin, it is important to stay informed and proactive in the face of potential legislative changes. WASS is prepared and ready to advocate for the staffing industry. Let's make our voices heard!

Thank you,
WASS Advocacy Committee  
See full listing of Assembly Bills
Reminder
In last month's Legislative Minute, we called your attention to Assembly Bill 146 which would increase the window of time by which employers have to respond to Unemployment Insurance Claims.  See below for a refresher on the Bill and for a template for a letter which we encourage your agency to send in support of the Bill.  The template can be easily modified to show support (or your opposition to) other proposed policies and legislation as well.  It's important to build relationships with your elected leaders.   The WASS Website has resources to help you identify your various representatives. 
Read Assembly Bill 146
Make your Voice Heard

Consider sending a letter to the Author of Assembly Bill 146 such as:

Representative Paul Melotik, Assembly District 22
Room 308 North
State Capitol
PO Box 8953
Madison, WI 53708
Dear Representative Melotik:
On behalf {agency name} and as a representative of the temporary staffing industry in Wisconsin, we respectfully submit our support for Assembly Bill 116. This bill establishes a fair and reasonable 12 business day window for employers to respond to unemployment insurance claim notices, addressing long standing challenges associated with delayed or missed mail delivery.

We place over ## of employees annually and believe that timely communication from the Department of Workforce Development is critical to maintaining the integrity of the UI system. We strongly support this commonsense reform to ensure due process for employers and accountability within the claims process.

Respectfully submitted,
Name
Title

Agency

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