Senate Bill 197 proposes significant changes to Wisconsin's unemployment insurance (UI) law, which will now be referred to as reemployment assistance. The bill mandates the establishment of a Division of Reemployment Assistance within the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) and requires that all references to unemployment insurance in the statutes be updated to reflect this new terminology. Key changes include stricter eligibility requirements for claimants, such as the necessity to conduct at least two direct contacts with potential employers during the third and subsequent weeks of their benefit year, and the requirement to submit a current resume to DWD's job center website. Additionally, claimants nearing the end of their benefits must complete a reemployment counseling session.

The bill also modifies the responsibilities of DWD regarding the provision of job search assistance, requiring the department to actively provide claimants with at least four potential job opportunities each week. Furthermore, it emphasizes the need for claimants likely to exhaust their benefits to participate in public employment workshops or training programs. The legislation aims to enhance the effectiveness of reemployment services and aligns with federal Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) program requirements, ensuring that DWD continues to provide these services to all UI claimants.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 40.02(22)(b)3, 40.02, 40.65(5)(b)2, 40.65, 49.147(3)(ac)2, 49.147, 49.163(3)(a)3.c, 49.163, 71.67(7)(title), 71.67, 105.01(1)(b)1, 105.01, 105.115(2)(b), 105.115, 105.115(2)(c), 105.115(3)(a)1, 105.115(4)(b)1, 105.115(4)(b)3, 106.38(3)(c)3, 106.38