AUSTIN State Rep. Wayne Christian (District 9) has introduced legislation that would amend the Texas Labor Code relating to qualification for unemployment benefits. If enacted the new law could result in an estimated savings of more than $82 million to the Texas Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund over a five-year period by clarifying and strengthening the definition of a claimants last employer.
House Bill 1348 will allow the Texas Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund to benefit the people who need it the most those who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. In todays turbulent economic times it is imperative that we get aid to those who genuinely need it not to individuals who are cheating the system declared Christian.
The State also has a particular responsibility to business owners as the financiers of the Trust Fund. Because Texas employers are required to pay into the Trust Fund it is especially important that the funds are protected and used with utmost discretion Christian stated.
Under current law individuals who are discharged for misconduct can avoid disqualification from Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits by accepting a brief temporary job and then be laid off through no fault of their own from that most recent job. Benefits may then be received regardless of the nature of the claimants previous employment. The temporary work could be performed for a relative neighbor or close friend of the claimant for as little as a day.
Currently a claim could be payable even in a case where the claimant is a laid-off professional and the temporary work is domestic in nature (housekeeping yard work babysitting etc.). Often the entire liability of the claim must be absorbed by the claimants previous employer or by the Trust Fund.
As filed HB 1348 amends the Texas Unemployment Compensation Act by defining last work and person for whom the claimant last worked as the last person for whom the claimant worked if the claimant actually worked for at least 30 hours during one week.
Christian is serving his sixth term as State Representative for House District 9 which includes Jasper Nacogdoches Sabine San Augustine and Shelby counties. His current committee assignments include Vice Chair of Criminal Jurisprudence and a member of Business and Industry. He is the President of the Texas Conservative Coalition.
AUSTIN State Rep. Wayne Christian (District 9) has introduced legislation that would amend the Texas Labor Code relating to qualification for unemployment benefits. If enacted the new law could result in an estimated savings of more than $82 million to the Texas Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund over a five-year period by clarifying and strengthening the definition of a claimants last employer.
House Bill 1348 will allow the Texas Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund to benefit the people who need it the most those who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. In todays turbulent economic times it is imperative that we get aid to those who genuinely need it not to individuals who are cheating the system declared Christian.
The State also has a particular responsibility to business owners as the financiers of the Trust Fund. Because Texas employers are required to pay into the Trust Fund it is especially important that the funds are protected and used with utmost discretion Christian stated.
Under current law individuals who are discharged for misconduct can avoid disqualification from Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits by accepting a brief temporary job and then be laid off through no fault of their own from that most recent job. Benefits may then be received regardless of the nature of the claimants previous employment. The temporary work could be performed for a relative neighbor or close friend of the claimant for as little as a day.
Currently a claim could be payable even in a case where the claimant is a laid-off professional and the temporary work is domestic in nature (housekeeping yard work babysitting etc.). Often the entire liability of the claim must be absorbed by the claimants previous employer or by the Trust Fund.
As filed HB 1348 amends the Texas Unemployment Compensation Act by defining last work and person for whom the claimant last worked as the last person for whom the claimant worked if the claimant actually worked for at least 30 hours during one week.
Christian is serving his sixth term as State Representative for House District 9 which includes Jasper Nacogdoches Sabine San Augustine and Shelby counties. His current committee assignments include Vice Chair of Criminal Jurisprudence and a member of Business and Industry. He is the President of the Texas Conservative Coalition.
