STATEMENT TO

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 1616

with Senate Floor Amendments

(Proposed By Senator CAFIERO)

ADOPTED: MARCH 24, 1997

      Unamended, this bill provides that no employer's account will be charged for unemployment insurance benefits paid to a claimant if the claimant's employment by that employer was ended in any way which would have disqualified the claimant for benefits if the claimant had applied for benefits at the time when that employment ended. These amendments provide: that the provisions of the bill will not apply to workers who have been laid off and receive remuneration in lieu of notice and workers involved in a labor dispute; for administrative expenses for the department from the Unemployment Auxiliary Fund; penalties for employers who knowingly make false statements, or knowingly fail to disclose a material fact, to reduce unemployment charges against themselves pursuant to the provisions of this bill; and for this change in charging employers' accounts by providing an exception in the current employer charging system.