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Bill > AB467

WI AB467

WI AB467
Unemployment insurance work search and registration and granting rule-making authority. (FE)

summary

Introduced
09/26/2025
In Committee
09/26/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2025-2026 Regular Session

Bill Summary

Under current law, a claimant for unemployment insurance benefits is generally required to register for work and to conduct a work search for each week in order to remain eligible. Current law requires the Department of Workforce Development to waive these requirements under certain circumstances, for example, if a claimant who is laid off from work reasonably expects to be recalled to work within 12 weeks, will start a new job within four weeks, routinely obtains work through a labor union referral, or is participating in a training or work share program. Under current law, DWD may modify the statutory waivers or establish additional waivers by rule only if doing so is required or specifically allowed by federal law. This bill removes the waiver requirements from statute and instead allows DWD to establish waivers for the registration for work and work search requirements by rule. DWD may establish a waiver by emergency rule if the secretary of workforce development determines that the waiver is needed only on a temporary basis or that permanent rules are not warranted, and the bill allows the secretary to extend the emergency rule for up to 60 days at a time. Also, the bill specifies that the work search requirement does not apply to a claimant who has been laid off but DWD determines that the claimant has a reasonable expectation to be recalled to work. For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

AI Summary

This bill modifies Wisconsin's unemployment insurance laws by changing work search and registration requirements for claimants. The bill gives the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) more flexibility in establishing waivers for work search and registration requirements through rule-making, removing previous statutory restrictions. Specifically, claimants will now be required to conduct at least 4 reasonable work search actions per week, with the department having the authority to require more actions through rules. The bill allows DWD to create waivers through emergency rules, which can remain in effect for 150 days and can be extended by the secretary of workforce development for up to 60 days at a time. Importantly, the work search requirement will not apply to claimants who have been laid off but have a reasonable expectation of being recalled to work, which will be determined by examining factors such as the employer's history of layoffs and reemployment, anticipated reemployment dates, and recall rights under collective bargaining agreements. The bill also removes previous statutory provisions that specified specific circumstances for waiving work search requirements, instead giving DWD broader discretion in establishing such waivers. The changes will apply to initial benefit claims filed on the bill's effective date, which is the first Sunday after its publication.

Committee Categories

Labor and Employment

Sponsors (33)

Last Action

Representative Johnson added as a coauthor (on 10/06/2025)
(1 Companion Bills)

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