STAND. COM. REP. NO. 449

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1568

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 1568, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to amend the law relating to unemployment insurance to allow the following to receive unemployment benefits:

     (1)  An individual for whom a majority of the weeks of work in the individual's base period includes part-time work and who is seeking only part-time work; and

     (2)  An individual who is separated from employment for a compelling family reason.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by one state agency and two organizations.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that during this time of economic hardship, many people are limited in their employment options and sometimes need to accept offers of part-time employment that allow them to earn income and collect unemployment benefits while also meeting other needs.  Under existing law, individuals seeking only part-time employment may be ineligible to receive unemployment benefits under requirements for availability for work, active search for work, or refusal to accept work.

     Your Committee further finds that this measure allows for more flexibility in the unemployment insurance system and codifies current practices of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations in accordance with the provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1568, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1568, S.D. 2, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor,

____________________________

DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair