Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

House Study Bill 655 - Introduced
                                  HOUSE FILE _____
                                  BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON
                                      LABOR AND WORKFORCE BILL BY
                                      CHAIRPERSON DEYOE)
                            A BILL FOR
An Act relating to claims for unemployment insurance benefits
  and including effective date provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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    Section 1. Section 96.4, Code 2024, is amended by adding the
 following new subsection:
    NEW SUBSECTION. 8. a. For each week, the individual
 has performed a minimum of four work search activities and
 documented and reported each activity to the department. One
 of the activities shall be verifiable in real time by the
 department.
    b. At least three of the four work search activities for
 the purposes of this subsection shall consist of one of the
 following:
    (1) Applying for a potential job opening by submitting a
 resume or application through any of the following means:
    (a) Online.
    (b) In person.
    (c) Electronic mail.
    (d) Facsimile.
    (e) Mail.
    (2) Completing a civil service exam.
    c. Additional work search activities for the purposes of
 this subsection consist of any of the following:
    (1) If the individual is a veteran as defined in section
 35.1, submitting a resume to the state’s home base Iowa
 program.
    (2) Registering with a placement facility of a school or
 college.
    (3) Interviewing for a job either virtually, in person, or
 at a job fair.
    (4) Attending an employment workshop organized or approved
 by the department, which may include completing an online
 or in-person job search workshop, job club, or job search
 networking meeting.
    (5) Attending a job fair sponsored or approved by the
 department.
    (6) Attending a scheduled career networking meeting with
 the department.
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    (7) With the assistance and guidance of the department,
 completing a reemployment plan, which may include completing
 career direction research or work such as a job search plan or
 a targeted employer list.
    (8) Participating in job search counseling with a
 department career planner.
    (9) Attending an appointment with a core program partner
 authorized by the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
 Act, Pub. L. No. 113-128.
    (10) Participating in online or in-person mock interviews
 organized or approved by the department.
    Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 96.33 Verification of claimant
 identity.
    1. When a claimant makes a claim for benefits, the
 department shall verify the identity of the claimant before
 payment of benefits to the claimant.
    2. The department shall use multi-factor authentication
 to verify the identity of any claimant submitting a claim for
 benefits through an internet site or online portal used by the
 department for the purpose of accepting claims for benefits.
    3. The department shall verify the identity of a claimant,
 as required by subsections 1 and 2, at least once per benefit
 year.
    Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect January 1,
 2025.
                            EXPLANATION
         The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
          the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
    This bill relates to claims for unemployment insurance
 benefits.
    The bill requires an individual to perform a minimum of
 four work search activities, and document and report each
 activity to the department of workforce development, each week
 in order to be eligible for unemployment benefits for the week.
 The bill specifies work search activities that satisfy these
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 requirements.
    The bill requires the department to verify the identity
 of a claimant before payment of unemployment benefits to
 the claimant. The bill also requires the department to use
 multi-factor authentication to verify the identity of any
 claimant submitting a claim for benefits through an internet
 site or online portal. These verifications are required at
 least once per benefit year.
    The bill takes effect January 1, 2025.
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Statutes affected: 
Introduced: 96.4