FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSEBILLNO.1281
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVESASSMANN.
2780H.01I JOSEPHENGLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Torepealsection288.050,RSMo,andtoenactinlieuthereoftwonewsectionsrelatingto
employmentsecurity.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Section288.050,RSMo,isrepealedandtwonewsectionsenactedinlieu
2thereof,tobeknownassections288.050and288.104,toreadasfollows:
288.050.1.Notwithstandingtheotherprovisionsofthislaw,aclaimantshallbe
2disqualifiedforwaitingweekcreditorbenefitsuntilaftertheclaimanthasearnedwagesfor
3workinsuredpursuanttotheunemploymentcompensationlawsofanystateequaltoten
4timestheclaimant'sweeklybenefitamountifthedeputyfinds:
5 (1)Thattheclaimanthasleftworkvoluntarilywithoutgoodcauseattributabletosuch
6workortotheclaimant'semployer.Atemporaryemployeeofatemporaryhelpfirmwillbe
7deemedtohavevoluntarilyquitemploymentiftheemployeedoesnotcontactthetemporary
8helpfirmforreassignmentpriortofilingforbenefits.Failuretocontactthetemporaryhelp
9firmwillnotbedeemedavoluntaryquitunlesstheclaimanthasbeenadvisedofthe
10obligationtocontactthefirmuponcompletionofassignmentsandthatunemployment
11benefitsmaybedeniedforfailuretodoso."Goodcause",forthepurposesofthis
12subdivision,shallincludeonlythatcausewhichwouldcompelareasonableemployeeto
13ceaseworkingorwhichwouldrequireseparationfromworkduetoillnessordisability.The
14claimantshallnotbedisqualified:
15 (a)Ifthedeputyfindstheclaimantquitsuchworkforthepurposeofacceptinga
16moreremunerativejobwhichtheclaimantdidacceptandearnsomewagestherein;
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 17 (b)Iftheclaimantquittemporaryworktoreturntosuchclaimant'sregularemployer;
18or
19 (c)Ifthedeputyfindstheindividualquitwork,whichwouldhavebeendetermined
20notsuitableinaccordancewithparagraphs(a)and(b)ofsubdivision(3)ofthissubsection,
21withintwenty-eightcalendardaysofthefirstdayworked;
22 (d)AstoinitialclaimsfiledafterDecember31,1988,iftheclaimantpresents
23evidencesupportedbycompetentmedicalproofthatshewasforcedtoleaveherwork
24becauseofpregnancy,notifiedheremployerofsuchnecessityassoonaspracticalunderthe
25circumstances,andreturnedtothatemployerandofferedherservicestothatemployeras
26soonasshewasphysicallyabletoreturntowork,ascertifiedbyalicensedandpracticing
27physician,butinnoeventlaterthanninetydaysaftertheterminationofthepregnancy.An
28employeeshallhavebeenemployedforatleastoneyearwiththesameemployerbeforeshe
29maybeprovidedbenefitspursuanttotheprovisionsofthisparagraph;
30 (e)Ifthedeputyfindsthat,duetothespouse'smandatoryandpermanentmilitary
31changeofstationorder,theclaimantquitworktorelocatewiththespousetoanewresidence
32fromwhichitisimpracticaltocommutetotheplaceofemploymentandtheclaimant
33remainedemployedaslongaswasreasonablepriortothemove.Theclaimant'sspouseshall
34beamemberoftheU.S.ArmedForceswhoisonactiveduty,oramemberoftheNational
35GuardorotherreservecomponentoftheU.S.ArmedForceswhoisonactiveNationalGuard
36orreserveduty.Theprovisionsofthisparagraphshallonlyapplytoindividualswhohave
37beendeterminedtobeaninsuredworkerasprovidedinsubdivision(22)ofsubsection1of
38section288.030;
39 (2)Thattheclaimanthasretiredpursuanttothetermsofalaboragreementbetween
40theclaimant'semployerandauniondulyelectedbytheemployeesastheirofficial
41representativeorinaccordancewithanestablishedpolicyoftheclaimant'semployer;or
42 (3)Thattheclaimantfailedwithoutgoodcauseeithertoapplyforavailablesuitable
43workwhensodirectedbyadeputyofthedivisionordesignatedstaffofanemploymentoffice
44asdefinedinsubsection1ofsection288.030,ortoacceptsuitableworkwhenoffered[the
45claimant,eitherthroughthedivisionordirectlybyanemployerbywhomtheindividualwas
46formerlyemployed], ortoappearforascheduledjobintervieworskillstest,ortoreturn
47totheindividual'scustomaryself-employment,ifany,whensodirectedbythedeputy.An
48offerofworkshallberebuttablypresumedifanemployernotifiestheclaimantinwriting[of
49suchofferbysendinganacknowledgmentviaanyformofcertifiedmailissuedbytheUnited
50StatesPostalServicestatingsuchoffertotheclaimantattheclaimant'slastknownaddress]
51orbyemailortelephone. Nothinginthissubdivisionshallbeconstruedtolimitthemeans
52bywhichthedeputymayestablishthattheclaimanthasorhasnotbeensufficientlynotified
53ofavailablework.Inenforcingthissubdivision,thedivisionshallestablishamethod
HB1281 2 54allowingemployerstoreportbyemailortelephoneanyindividualwhofailstoacceptor
55respondtoanofferofemploymentorappearforapreviouslyscheduledjobinterviewor
56skillstest.
57 (a)Indeterminingwhetherornotanyworkissuitableforanindividual,thedivision
58shallconsider,amongotherfactorsandinadditiontothoseenumeratedinparagraph(b)of
59thissubdivision,thedegreeofriskinvolvedtotheindividual'shealth,safetyandmorals,the
60individual'sphysicalfitnessandpriortraining,theindividual'sexperienceandpriorearnings,
61theindividual'slengthofunemployment,theindividual'sprospectsforsecuringworkinthe
62individual'scustomaryoccupation,thedistanceofavailableworkfromtheindividual's
63residenceandtheindividual'sprospectofobtaininglocalwork;exceptthat,ifanindividual
64hasmovedfromthelocalityinwhichtheindividualactuallyresidedwhensuchindividual
65waslastemployedtoaplacewherethereislessprobabilityoftheindividual'semploymentat
66suchindividual'susualtypeofworkandwhichismoredistantfromorotherwiseless
67accessibletothecommunityinwhichtheindividualwaslastemployed,workofferedbythe
68individual'smostrecentemployerifsimilartothatwhichsuchindividualperformedinsuch
69individual'slastemploymentandatwages,hours,andworkingconditionswhichare
70substantiallysimilartothoseprevailingforsimilarworkinsuchcommunity,oranywork
71whichtheindividualiscapableofperformingatthewagesprevailingforsuchworkinthe
72localitytowhichtheindividualhasmoved,ifnothazardoustosuchindividual'shealth,safety
73ormorals,shallbedeemedsuitablefortheindividual.
74 (b)Notwithstandinganyotherprovisionsofthislaw,noworkshallbedeemed
75suitableandbenefitsshallnotbedeniedpursuanttothislawtoanyotherwiseeligible
76individualforrefusingtoacceptnewworkunderanyofthefollowingconditions:
77 a.Ifthepositionofferedisvacantduedirectlytoastrike,lockout,orotherlabor
78dispute;
79 b.Ifthewages,hours,orotherconditionsoftheworkofferedaresubstantiallyless
80favorabletotheindividualthanthoseprevailingforsimilarworkinthelocality;
81 c.Ifasaconditionofbeingemployedtheindividualwouldberequiredtojoina
82companyunionortoresignfromorrefrainfromjoininganybonafidelabororganization.
83 2.Ifadeputyfindsthataclaimanthasbeendischargedformisconductconnected
84withtheclaimant'swork,suchclaimantshallbedisqualifiedforwaitingweekcreditand
85benefits,andnobenefitsshallbepaidnorshallthecostofanybenefitsbechargedagainstany
86employerforanyperiodofemploymentwithinthebaseperioduntiltheclaimanthasearned
87wagesforworkinsuredundertheunemploymentlawsofthisstateoranyotherstateas
88prescribedinthissection.Inadditiontothedisqualificationforbenefitspursuanttothis
89provisionthedivisionmayinthemoreaggravatedcasesofmisconductcancelalloranypart
90oftheindividual'swagecredits,whichwereestablishedthroughtheindividual'semployment
HB1281 3 91bytheemployerwhodischargedsuchindividual,accordingtotheseriousnessofthe
92misconduct.Adisqualificationprovidedforpursuanttothissubsectionshallnotapplytoany
93weekwhichoccursaftertheclaimanthasearnedwagesforworkinsuredpursuanttothe
94unemploymentcompensationlawsofanystateinanamountequaltosixtimestheclaimant's
95weeklybenefitamount.Shouldaclaimantbedisqualifiedonasecondorsubsequent
96occasionwithinthebaseperiodorsubsequenttothebaseperiodtheclaimantshallbe
97requiredtoearnwagesinanamountequaltoorinexcessofsixtimestheclaimant'sweekly
98benefitamountforeachdisqualification.
99 3.Notwithstandingtheprovisionsofsubsection1ofthissection,aclaimantmaynot
100bedeterminedtobedisqualifiedforbenefitsbecausetheclaimantisintrainingapproved
101pursuanttoSection236oftheTradeActof1974,asamended,(19U.S.C.A.Sec.2296,as
102amended),orbecausetheclaimantleftworkwhichwasnotsuitableemploymenttoenter
103suchtraining.Forthepurposesofthissubsection"suitableemployment"means,withrespect
104toaworker,workofasubstantiallyequalorhigherskilllevelthantheworker'spastadversely
105affectedemployment,andwagesforsuchworkatnotlessthaneightypercentoftheworker's
106averageweeklywageasdeterminedforthepurposesoftheTradeActof1974.
288.104.1.Thissectionshallbeknownandmaybecitedasthe"Employment
2SecurityProgramIntegrityActof2025".
3 2.Asusedinthissection,thefollowingtermsmean:
4 (1)"Departmentofcorrections",theMissouridepartmentofcorrections;
5 (2)"Division",thedivisionofemploymentsecurityoftheMissouridepartment
6oflaborandindustrialrelations;
7 (3)"Employmentsecurityrolls",thelistofallpersonscurrentlyreceiving
8unemploymentcompensationbenefitsunderthischapter,tobekeptandupdatedbythe
9division;
10 (4)"Nationaldatachecksystem",anypublic,private,ornonprofitnationaldata
11systemdesignedtoverifytheidentity,employmentstatus,eligibilitystatus,andclaims
12submittedstatusofanyindividualparticipatingin,orapplyingtoparticipatein,an
13unemploymentcompensationprogram;
14 (5)"New-hirerecords",thedirectoryofnewlyhiredandrehiredemployees
15reportedunderapplicablestateandfederallaws;
16 (6)"Welfareagency",anystateagency,department,orentitythatdistributesor
17administerspublicassistancebenefits,otherthanunemploymentcompensationbenefits,
18throughtheTemporaryAssistanceforNeedyFamilies(TANF),SupplementalNutrition
19AssistanceProgram(SNAP),Medicaid,orpublichousingprograms.
HB1281 4 20 3.Thedivisionshallengagewithandutilizeanationaldatachecksystemto
21ensurethatonlyeligibleindividualsreceiveunemploymentcompensationbenefits
22pursuanttothischapter.
23 4.Thedivisionshall,onaweeklybasis,checkitsemploymentsecurityrolls
24againstalistofincarceratedindividuals,whichshallbeprovidedtothedivisionbythe
25departmentofcorrections,toverifytheeligibilityofunemploymentcompensation
26benefitclaimantsandtoensurethatonlyeligibleindividualsreceiveunemployment
27compensationbenefitspursuanttothischapter.
28 5.Thedivisionshall,onaweeklybasis,checkitsemploymentsecurityrolls
29againststatedeathrecords.
30 6.Thedivisionshall,onaweeklybasis,checkitsnew-hirerecordsagainstthe
31recordscontainedintheNationalDirectoryofNewHiresinordertoverifythe
32eligibilityoftheindividualsnamedinthedivision'snew-hirerecords.
33 7.Thedivisionshallverifytheidentityofunemploymentcompensationbenefit
34claimantsbymethodsincluding,butnotlimitedto:
35 (1)Verifyingtheidentityofanapplicantpriortoawardingbenefits;and
36 (2)Requiringmulti-factorauthenticationaspartofonlineapplications.
37 8.Thedivisionshallperformafulleligibilityreviewofsuspiciousorpotentially
38improperclaimsincasesincluding,butnotlimitedto:
39 (1)Multipleorduplicativeclaimsfiledonlineoriginatingfromthesameinternet
40protocoladdress;
41 (2)Claimsfiledonlinefromforeigninternetprotocoladdresses;
42 (3)Multipleorduplicativeclaimsfiledthatareassociatedwiththesamemailing
43address;and
44 (4)Multipleorduplicativeclaimsfiledthatareassociatedwiththesamebank
45account.
46 9.Anywelfareagency,uponreceiptofinformationthatanenrolledindividual
47hasbecomeemployed,shallnotifythedivisioninorderthatthedivisionmaydetermine
48whethertheindividualremainseligibleforunemploymentcompensationbenefits.
49 10.(1)Thedivisionshalladoptandimplementinternaladministrativepolicies
50toprioritizeandpursuetherecoveryoffraudulentorotherwiseimproper
51unemploymentcompensationbenefitoverpaymentstothefullestextentallowable
52underapplicablestateandfederallaw.Thedivisionshallattempttorecoverall
53outstandingunemploymentcompensationbenefitoverpaymentsunlessdoingsowould
54violatestateorfederallaw,thoughthissectionshallnotbeconstruedtoapplyto
55overpaymentsissuedonclaimsfiledduringastateofemergencydeclaredbythe
56governorduetoCOVID-19.
HB1281 5 57 (2)Thedivisionshallmaintainrecordsofallofitsattemptstorecover
58unemploymentcompensationbenefitoverpayments.Thedivisionshallissueawritten
59reporttothegeneralassemblyeachyear,nolaterthanDecemberthirty-first,describing
60improperunemploymentcompensationbenefitpaymentsandtheirrecovery,theextent
61towhichanyimproperunemploymentcompensationbenefitpaymentshavenotbeen
62correctedorrecovered,andthereasonsforthefailureofthedivisiontosecuresuch
63correctionorrecovery.
64 11.Thedivisionisherebyauthorizedtoexecuteamemorandumof
65understandingwithanygovernmentalentityofthisstateinordertoshareand
66receivesuchinformationasmaybenecessaryforthedivisiontoadministerthe
67provisionsofthissection.
68 12.Ifthedivisionreceivesinformationrelatingtoanindividualwhohasbeen
69foundeligibleforunemploymentcompensationbenefitsandsuchinformationindicates
70achangeincircumstancesthatcouldaffecttheindividual'seligibility,thedivisionshall
71reviewtheindividual'seligibilitycase.
72 13.Thedivisionmaypromulgateallnecessaryrulesandregulationsforthe
73administrationofthissection.Anyruleorportionofarule,asthattermisdefinedin
74section536.010,thatiscreatedundertheauthoritydelegatedinthissectionshall
75becomeeffectiveonlyifitcomplieswithandissubjecttoalloftheprovisionsofchapter
76536and,ifapplicable,section536.028.Thissectionandchapter536arenonseverable
77andifanyofthepowersvestedwiththegeneralassemblypursuanttochapter536to
78review,todelaytheeffectivedate,ortodisapproveandannularulearesubsequently
79heldunconstitutional,thenthegrantofrulemakingauthorityandanyruleproposedor
80adoptedafterAugust28,2025shallbeinvalidandvoid.
âś”
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