2024 Senate Bill 975

AI Analysis – Experimental

The legislative text amends the Michigan Employment Security Act, specifically section 29 (MCL 421.29), to refine the conditions under which individuals are disqualified from receiving unemployment benefits. The amendments clarify that individuals who leave work voluntarily without good cause attributable to the employer, or who are absent for three consecutive workdays without acceptable contact, are presumed to have left voluntarily without good cause. The burden of proof lies with the claimant to establish that they left involuntarily or for good cause. The bill also addresses situations where individuals leave work for medical reasons, requiring them to secure a medical statement, attempt to find alternative work, and seek a leave of absence before leaving. Provisions related to COVID-19 are included, allowing individuals to leave work to self-isolate or quarantine under specific conditions without being disqualified. The bill outlines several exceptions where leaving work does not disqualify an individual, such as leaving unsuitable work within 60 days, leaving due to a spouse's military reassignment, or being a victim of domestic violence. Additionally, the bill specifies that benefits paid under these exceptions should be charged to the nonchargeable benefits account rather than the employer's experience account.

The legislation also modifies the requalification requirements for individuals disqualified from benefits, detailing the number of requalifying weeks needed based on the reason for disqualification and the benefit year. It stipulates that benefits payable to disqualified individuals should be charged to the nonchargeable benefits account. The bill further defines what constitutes suitable work and the conditions under which benefits must not be denied for refusing new work. It includes provisions for individuals disqualified due to labor disputes, specifying conditions under which disqualification is terminated and defining "directly interested" in the context of labor disputes. The bill mandates that individuals repay benefits if the unemployment agency determines that benefits should not have been paid due to ineligibility or disqualification, without charging interest on repayments. Lastly, the bill includes a temporary provision, effective from May 1, 2020, to October 20, 2020, allowing individuals who leave work to accept permanent full-time work with another employer to be considered as meeting the requirements, even if they did not perform services for the new employer.