| 4 | 4 | | HB.docx |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | General Assembly Committee Bill No. 6344 |
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| 8 | 8 | | January Session, 2021 |
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| 9 | 9 | | LCO No. 5726 |
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| 10 | 10 | | |
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| 11 | 11 | | |
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| 12 | 12 | | Referred to Committee on LABOR AND PUBLIC EMPLOYEES |
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| 13 | 13 | | |
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| 14 | 14 | | |
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| 15 | 15 | | Introduced by: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (LAB) |
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| 17 | 17 | | |
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| 18 | 18 | | |
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| 19 | 19 | | |
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| 20 | 20 | | AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE OFFICE OF THE UNEMPLOYED |
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| 21 | 21 | | WORKERS' ADVOCATE. |
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| 22 | 22 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General |
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| 23 | 23 | | Assembly convened: |
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| 24 | 24 | | |
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| 25 | 25 | | Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) The Labor Commissioner 1 |
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| 26 | 26 | | shall, within available appropriations, establish the Office of the 2 |
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| 27 | 27 | | Unemployed Workers' Advocate within the Labor Department to 3 |
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| 28 | 28 | | provide assistance to individuals who are unemployed. 4 |
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| 29 | 29 | | (b) The Office of the Unemployed Workers' Advocate may: 5 |
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| 30 | 30 | | (1) Assist unemployed individuals seeking benefits administered by 6 |
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| 31 | 31 | | the Labor Department under chapter 567 of the general statutes; 7 |
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| 32 | 32 | | (2) Assist unemployed individuals to understand their rights and 8 |
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| 33 | 33 | | responsibilities with respect to benefits administered by the department 9 |
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| 34 | 34 | | under chapter 567 of the general statutes; 10 |
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| 35 | 35 | | (3) Provide information to the public, state agencies, legislators and 11 |
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| 36 | 36 | | others regarding the problems and concerns of unemployed individuals 12 |
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| 37 | 37 | | and make recommendations for resolving such problems and concerns; 13 Committee Bill No. 6344 |
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| 38 | 38 | | |
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| 39 | 39 | | |
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| 40 | 40 | | LCO 5726 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2021HB-06344- |
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| 42 | 42 | | 2 of 3 |
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| 43 | 43 | | |
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| 44 | 44 | | (4) Assist unemployed individuals with the filing of appeals in 14 |
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| 45 | 45 | | connection with the benefits administered by the department under 15 |
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| 46 | 46 | | chapter 567 of the general statutes; 16 |
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| 47 | 47 | | (5) Analyze and monitor the development and implementation of 17 |
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| 48 | 48 | | federal, state and local laws, regulations and policies relating to 18 |
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| 49 | 49 | | unemployed individuals and recommend changes the office deems 19 |
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| 50 | 50 | | necessary to the appropriate federal, state or local governmental entity; 20 |
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| 51 | 51 | | (6) Receive and review complaints of unemployed individuals and 21 |
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| 52 | 52 | | make recommendations to the commissioner for resolving such 22 |
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| 53 | 53 | | complaints; 23 |
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| 54 | 54 | | (7) Access prior employment records of an unemployed individual to 24 |
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| 55 | 55 | | the extent permitted under state and federal law; 25 |
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| 56 | 56 | | (8) Establish and maintain an Internet web site and a toll-free number, 26 |
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| 57 | 57 | | or any other free calling option, to allow unemployed individuals access 27 |
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| 58 | 58 | | to the services and information provided by the Office of the 28 |
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| 59 | 59 | | Unemployed Workers' Advocate; and 29 |
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| 60 | 60 | | (9) Take any other actions necessary to fulfill the purposes of this 30 |
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| 61 | 61 | | section. 31 |
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| 62 | 62 | | (c) Not later than July 1, 2021, the Labor Commissioner shall 32 |
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| 63 | 63 | | designate an Unemployed Workers' Advocate, who shall serve at the 33 |
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| 64 | 64 | | pleasure of the commissioner, to manage the daily activities and duties 34 |
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| 65 | 65 | | of the Office of the Unemployed Workers' Advocate. The Unemployed 35 |
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| 66 | 66 | | Workers' Advocate shall have the necessary qualifications to perform 36 |
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| 67 | 67 | | the duties of said office, including, but not limited to, having expertise 37 |
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| 68 | 68 | | and experience in the fields of unemployment compensation benefits 38 |
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| 69 | 69 | | and advocacy for the rights of unemployed individuals. Within 39 |
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| 70 | 70 | | available appropriations, the Unemployed Workers' Advocate shall 40 |
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| 71 | 71 | | appoint and employ such assistants, employees and personnel as 41 |
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| 72 | 72 | | deemed necessary for the efficient and effective administration of the 42 |
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| 73 | 73 | | activities of the office. 43 Committee Bill No. 6344 |
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| 74 | 74 | | |
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| 75 | 75 | | |
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| 76 | 76 | | LCO 5726 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2021HB-06344- |
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