Pertaining to waiver or alteration of work search requirements for unemployment benefits due to a short-term temporary layoff

Under current law, the department of workforce development may establish by rule a process to waive or alter the work search requirements for a claim for unemployment benefits if an individual has a reasonable expectation that the individual will be returning to employment and is attached to a regular job or industry or a member in good standing of a union therein eligible for referral for employment. To be considered attached to a regular job or industry, an individual must be on a short-term temporary layoff, defined as a layoff period of weeks or less, with a specific return-to-work date verified by the employer, due to seasonal weather conditions that impact the ability of the individual to perform work related to highway construction, repair, or maintenance. This bill modifies the definition of short-term temporary layoff by adding, as a form of work impacted by seasonal weather conditions that satisfies the definition, underground utility construction where specialized training provided by the employer is necessary to safely perform such work.