Chapter 207
2016 -- S 2850 SUBSTITUTE A
Enacted 06/29/2016

A N   A C T
RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS - EMPLOYMENT SECURITY - BENEFITS

Introduced By: Senator Maryellen Goodwin
Date Introduced: March 23, 2016

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Section 28-44-12 of the General Laws in Chapter 28-44 entitled
"Employment Security - Benefits" is hereby amended to read as follows:
     28-44-12. Availability and registration for work. -- (a) An individual shall not be
eligible for benefits for any week of his or her partial or total unemployment unless during that
week he or she is physically able to work full-time and be available for full-time work. To prove
availability for work, every individual partially or totally unemployed shall register for work and
shall:
      (1) File a claim for benefits within any time limits, with any frequency, and in any
manner, in person or in writing, as the director may prescribe;
      (2) Respond whenever duly called for work through the employment office; and
      (3) Make an active, independent search for suitable, full-time work.
      (b) If an unemployed individual has been determined to be likely to exhaust regular
benefits and to need reemployment services pursuant to a profiling system established by the
director, the individual shall be eligible to receive benefits with respect to any week only if the
individual participates in reemployment services, such as job search assistance services, unless
the director determines that:
      (1) The individual has completed those services; or
      (2) There is justifiable cause for the individual's failure to participate in those services.
     (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title to the contrary, individuals with a
definite return-to-work date that is within twelve (12) weeks of their last day of physical work, as
certified by their employer on the employer separation notice provided to the department, shall be
exempt from the work search requirements of subsections (a)(2) and (a)(3) of this section.
     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC005427/SUB A
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