House Bill 854 Summary

• Employers who fail to respond timely or adequately to Mississippi Department of Employment Security requests for information about unemployment claims subsequently determined to be improperly paid shall be charged against their experience rating, unless they demonstrate good cause (defined as natural disasters, emergencies, illness, or agency error).

• Unemployed individuals must be "actively seeking work" in addition to being able and available for work to remain eligible for unemployment benefits.

• Good cause for employer non-response includes natural disasters, emergencies, similar events, illness of key staff with no backup, or agency error in delivering notice to the employer.