This bill allows the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development to temporarily appoint three additional members to the Board of Review within the Division of Employment Security. The appointments can be made through two methods: either by interim appointment of State employees who hold full-time positions or by appointing individuals who do not hold full-time State employment to an intermittent title. If these additional members are appointed, the Board of Review's membership will increase from three to six, enabling the commissioner to create two separate panels from these members. Each panel will have the authority to act independently as a final appeals board for benefit disputes, including appeals related to demands for refunds of benefits.

Additionally, the bill modifies existing language regarding the participation of board members in cases where they may have an interest, effectively removing the previous prohibition against such participation. This change aims to enhance the operational flexibility of the Board of Review while ensuring that it can effectively address benefit disputes. The bill's provisions are designed to streamline the review process and improve the efficiency of the Division of Employment Security.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 34:13A-3, 34:1A-19