The bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 268.085, subdivision 13b, to modify the eligibility criteria for unemployment benefits for applicants involved in a labor dispute. It specifies that an applicant who has stopped working due to a labor dispute is ineligible for benefits until the earlier of the progress or the end of the calendar week following the week the dispute began, or until the end of the calendar week that the dispute began if the applicant is not participating in or directly interested in the dispute. Additionally, the bill clarifies that participation includes any refusal to accept available work at the establishment.

Furthermore, the bill introduces new provisions that allow applicants to remain eligible for unemployment benefits under certain conditions, such as if they stop working due to an employer's failure to comply with safety regulations, a lockout, being discharged before a labor dispute begins, or if an employer hires a replacement worker for the applicant's position. The bill also states that quitting during an active labor dispute does not terminate the applicant's participation in the dispute. Overall, these changes aim to provide clearer guidelines regarding unemployment benefits in the context of labor disputes.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 268.085