We are preparing to introduce legislation that will amend the Unemployment Compensation (UC) Law, making it easier for domestic violence victims to obtain benefits if they are forced to leave their jobs due to safety concerns.

Currently, individuals who voluntarily quit their jobs must prove their eligibility by meeting two criteria: their reasons for quitting must be "necessitous and compelling," and they must have made reasonable efforts to maintain their employment.  For domestic violence victims, proving these criteria is often burdensome and intrusive at a moment when stabilizing their family and their own security is paramount.

Our proposed legislation will create an expedited claim review process for domestic violence victims. They will be able to confidentially submit reasonable evidence of recent domestic violence without needing to provide a protective order or police report, though they may choose to do so. Moreover, they will not have to prove that they attempted to maintain their employment. This streamlined process will result in less paperwork, quicker eligibility determinations, and faster receipt of benefits.

The bill and law still maintain remedies for the department to utilize if fraud is suspected and employers maintain their ability to appeal determinations. Further, the bill provides automatic relief from charges for employers, unless the domestic violence is attributable to the employer, meaning benefits paid will not factor into the employer’s future experience rating.

This bill is a reintroduction of HB 1446 from last session. HB 1446 unanimously passed the Senate Labor and Industry Committee on June 11, 2024, and unanimously passed the Senate Appropriations Committee on July 2, 2024, but did not receive a final passage vote in the Senate.

Please join us in cosponsoring this crucial piece of legislation supporting victims of domestic violence.