HB 6088 Summary

• Extends the appeal period for unemployment insurance determinations from 30 days to 60 days for both claimants and employers to request review or transfer to an administrative law judge.

• Reduces administrative fines for late quarterly wage detail reports from $50 to $25 per untimely report, and from $250 to $125 for reports filed more than one quarter late, with waiver provisions for first-time filers with non-deliberate violations.

• Adds waiver authority for the unemployment agency to waive administrative fines on quarterly wage reports if the report was the first of its type from a first-time filer and the violation was not deliberate or willful.

• Establishes tiered criminal penalties for unemployment fraud based on amount obtained, ranging from 1 year imprisonment for amounts under $25,000 to 5 years for amounts exceeding $100,000 from intentional violations.

• Permits direct transfer of cases to administrative law judges if both claimant and employer agree (for benefit payment cases) or if both unemployment agency and employer agree (for contribution/reimbursement cases).

• Takes effect 90 days after enactment.