Oklahoma House Bill HB2768

Oklahoma 2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/6/23
• Refer: 2/7/23

Caption

Call centers; requiring call centers to notify Insurance Department of certain plans to terminate; effective date.

Impact

This legislation is intended to impact companies operating call centers by enforcing accountability and transparency regarding employment practices. The Oklahoma Insurance Department will maintain a publicly accessible list of businesses that have relocated call center jobs out of state. If businesses do not comply with the notification provisions, they could face civil penalties of up to $10,000 per day. This aims to discourage job relocations and support local job retention.

Summary

House Bill 2768 addresses regulations surrounding call centers operating within Oklahoma. It defines what constitutes a call center, establishes procedures for notifying the Oklahoma Insurance Department if a call center plans to terminate or relocate employee positions, and outlines penalties for non-compliance. The bill requires a 120-day notification prior to any relocation of positions outside the state, aimed at maintaining local employment and customer service quality within Oklahoma.

Contention

Notable points of contention could arise around the implementation and enforcement of this bill. Critics may argue that the heavy penalties could deter companies from conducting business in Oklahoma. Furthermore, there may be debates on whether the regulations provide sufficient protections for workers or overly burden businesses that rely on call centers as a component of their customer service infrastructure. Balancing industry needs with worker protections is likely to be a central theme in discussions regarding the bill.