Assembly Bill 169 proposes various amendments to Wisconsin's unemployment insurance (UI) law, primarily focusing on the responsibilities of claimants and the reporting requirements for employers. The bill stipulates that employers can report instances where a claimant declines job interviews or offers, fails to respond to them, or is unavailable for work. These reports will be considered by the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) when assessing a claimant's attachment to the labor market. Additionally, claimants must provide weekly verification of job search activities, including job offers and interviews, and will be deemed ineligible for benefits if they do not conduct a reasonable search for suitable work, unless they can demonstrate good cause for missed opportunities.

The bill also mandates that DWD recover overpayments of benefits in cases of misrepresentation, making recovery mandatory rather than permissive. It requires DWD to include information about employer reports in its annual fraud report to the legislature and to maintain methods for addressing situations where claimants fail to return to work or accept suitable work without good cause. Furthermore, the bill enhances the reporting process for employers and provides claimants with clear information regarding their rights and responsibilities under the UI law.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 108.04(2)(a)3, 108.04, 108.04(2)(bm), 108.04(2)(g)2, 108.04(11)(cm), 108.14(21), 108.14, 108.22(8)(a), 108.22