Legislature(1999 - 2000)
02/28/2000 03:28 PM House L&C
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SB 222-EMPLOYMENT SECURITY ACT CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG announced the first order of business would be SENATE BILL NO. 222, "An Act relating to standard industrial classification for, eligibility for benefits under, and the definition of 'benefit year' for, the Alaska Employment Security Act; and providing for an effective date." Number 0136 REPRESENTATIVE HALCRO made a motion for the adoption of the proposed committee substitute (CS) for SB 222 [Version D, 1- GS2032\D, Cramer, 2/24/00]. There being no objection, the proposed CS, Version D, was adopted. JANET SEITZ, Staff to Representative Norman Rokeberg, came forward to testify on SB 222, Version D. She explained that Version D simply adds the definitions for alcohol, drugs and misconduct in Section 4, page 2. CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG asked if this mirrors what was done with HB 316, the companion bill to SB 222. MS. SEITZ replied yes. CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG indicated the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DLWD) is available to answer any questions. REPRESENTATIVE MURKOWSKI stated that she is pleased this change was made to SB 222. She understands that DLWD would like to take a moment to explain how the jury service and uninterrupted insurance would work under SB 222. Number 0281 REBECCA NANCE-GAMEZ, Director, Division of Employment Security, Department of Labor and Workforce Development, came forward to testify on SB 222, Version D. She explained that during the subcommittee meeting on SB 222/HB 316 the issue of jury service was discussed regarding an isolated incident in the Fairbanks area. She pointed out to the subcommittee that the person who had the problem with jury duty simply wrote "jury duty" as the reason for leaving his last job. Most of the claims now are done by telephone. The Division has not had this problem come up since and, as far as she knows, it had not come up prior. It comes down to the Committee's decision whether it is a good reason for jury duty to be covered under unemployment insurance if a person refuses an offer to work. She stated, I personally could go either way on that. Although, as a former employer, if someone who was on call for work, refused work, I wouldn't necessarily want to pay those benefits. So, it was a misunderstanding and, after we talked to that claimant in question, we did determine that he was an on-call employee and, if fact, it was lack of work as the reason he received UI (unemployment insurance) and not jury service. CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG asked, "That's not taken up in this bill, but it's being handled by your department internally?" MS. NANCE-GAMEZ replied yes and stated there have not been any further problems or questions regarding that issue. DWIGHT PERKINS, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Labor and Workforce Development, came forward to testify on SB 222, Version D. He informed Chairman Rokeberg that DLWD worked with the subcommittee and stated there was no opposition to Version D. REPRESENTATIVE MURKOWSKI made a motion to move SB 222, Version D, out of committee with individual recommendations and the attached zero fiscal note. There being no objection, HCS SB 222(L&C) moved from the House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.
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