Chapter 866 Oregon Laws 2001
AN ACT
HB 3759
Relating to unemployment
compensation for dislocated workers; creating new provisions; amending ORS
657.337 and 657.340; and declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
ORS 657.337 is amended to read:
657.337. (1) The state’s economic stability is often
threatened when workers are being displaced from the workforce and the workers
and their families face hardship and serious social and health problems.
(2) The policy of the state is to promote workforce
development by providing eligible dislocated workers with unemployment
compensation and related benefits while they are receiving professional
technical training so that they can continue to care for their families and
obtain employment.
(3) The Employment Department and the [Job Training Partnership Act section of the] Department of
Community Colleges and Workforce Development will implement the necessary
strategies, systems and structures [which]
that will provide consolidated,
streamlined delivery of these services to dislocated workers.
(4) It is the policy of the state to encourage the movement
of workers into higher wage jobs.
(5) It is the policy of the state to make the best use of
currently existing service delivery vehicles, training programs and assessment
devices to provide services to eligible dislocated workers.
(6) In order to assist eligible dislocated workers to
continue or complete professional technical training, individuals who meet the
requirements of ORS 657.335 to 657.360 are eligible for supplemental benefits
as provided in ORS 657.340[, except that
the total amount of benefits payable from the Unemployment Compensation Trust
Fund shall not exceed $12 million, for the biennium beginning July 1, 1995] through June 30, 2003.
SECTION 2.
ORS 657.340 is amended to read:
657.340. (1) Dislocated workers approved for professional
technical training shall not be denied unemployment insurance benefits solely
because they are attending professional technical training, nor shall such
individual be denied benefits by reason of leaving work to enter such training
if the work left was part-time or temporary or paid less than 80 percent of the
individual’s average weekly wage during the base year.
(2) Notwithstanding provisions of this chapter relating to
availability for work, actively seeking work or refusal to accept suitable
work, dislocated workers approved for professional technical training and
otherwise eligible for benefits shall not be ineligible for such benefits or
waiting week credit because of attendance in professional technical training.
(3)(a) Eligible
dislocated workers who file valid unemployment compensation claims, upon
exhaustion of regular benefits, are eligible, subject to the availability of
funds, for supplemental benefits from 1 to [39]
26 times the individual’s most
recent weekly benefit amount based upon the amount needed to continue or
complete approved professional technical training.
(b) Supplemental
benefits shall be paid under the same terms and conditions as regular benefits
under this chapter, except that the Director of the Employment Department may
extend the benefit year of an individual attending an approved professional
technical training program a sufficient number of weeks[, but not more than 52 weeks,] to allow the individual to complete
the training program.
(c) Supplemental
benefits under ORS 657.335 to 657.360 may be paid only when the eligible
dislocated worker is not eligible to receive extended benefits as provided in
ORS 657.321 to 657.329 or additional benefits as provided in ORS 657.331 to
657.334.
(d) Supplemental
benefits may be paid only to eligible dislocated workers whose unemployment, as
determined by the director, is substantially due to the lack of employment
opportunities in the workers’ local labor market resulting from:
(A) High energy costs;
(B) Extended drought
conditions and the attendant economic conditions;
(C) Secondary effects of
foreign trade; or
(D) A shift of
production to another state or territory of the United States.
(4) The receipt of supplemental benefits is conditioned
upon the individual’s demonstrating satisfactory progress and attendance in
professional technical training.
SECTION 3.
The amendments to ORS 657.337 and 657.340
by sections 1 and 2 of this 2001 Act apply only to claims for benefits filed on
or after the effective date of this 2001 Act.
SECTION 4.
This 2001 Act being necessary for the
immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is
declared to exist, and this 2001 Act takes effect July 1, 2001.
Approved by the Governor
July 30, 2001
Filed in the office of
Secretary of State July 30, 2001
Effective date July 30, 2001
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