Senate Bill 533 Summary

• Establishes a 3-year statute of limitations for the unemployment agency to issue determinations requiring restitution for improperly paid benefits, except in cases of suspected identity fraud.

• Requires the unemployment agency to provide claimants with notice of their right to request an in-person or telephone hearing before taking action to recover improperly paid benefits, penalties, or interest.

• Prohibits determining intentional false statements or misrepresentation based solely on computer-identified discrepancies; agency employees must independently examine facts and determine willful or intentional violations.

• Allows waiver of recovery for improperly paid benefits in cases where: claimant provided incorrect wage information without intent to misrepresent and employer failed to provide accurate information; claimant's household income is at or below federal poverty guidelines; or improper payments resulted from agency administrative or clerical error.

• Removes the "For benefit years beginning on or after October 1, 2000" limitation and expands protections for claimants involved in fraud cases by allowing employers to protest successive benefit year claims and prohibiting use of falsely reported earnings in future claims.