Unemployment Updates

Keep Your Finger on the Pulse of Unemployment Insurance Changes

These regular unemployment updates are written by our team to help you stay current with UI industry trends and changes.

New Law Allows Drug Testing of Unemployment Claimants

A Joint Resolution supported by U.S. Representative Kevin Brady and Senator Ted Cruz, regarding drug testing and unemployment eligibility, has officially been signed into law by President Trump. With this new Resolution in place, the collection of unemployment...

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New Bill Brings Back Laid Off Workers

Pennsylvania - On March 20th, a bill was passed allocating $15 million to the Department of Labor, which due to lack of funding, has undergone hundreds of layoffs and three office closings in the past year. The bill would enable the Department of Labor to bring back...

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Suspended Lawyers Can’t Represent UI Claimants

Pennsylvania - On March 28th, the State Supreme Court ruled that those with suspended law licenses cannot represent claimants before the Unemployment Compensation Board of Review. This ruling reverses a previous one from the Commonwealth Court, which determined that...

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Prisoner Charged With First Degree Unemployment Fraud

Connecticut - 31 year old Jose Velez of Waterbury, who is currently serving a six-year prison sentence for first-degree robbery and escape from custody, will be going back to court for another first-degree charge. This time, it is for allegedly "robbing" the...

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Connecticut is “Chasing Cheaters”

The Connecticut Department of Labor (DOL) and the Division of Criminal Justice have joined forces to combat the state's unemployment fraud issue. So far they have arrested 200 people charged with illegally collecting more than $5.5 million in unemployment insurance...

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Connecticut’s Worker Classification Test is on Trial

Connecticut employers who use independent contractors in their business operations should be awaiting a decision in the Southwest Appraisal Group case with interest. In this case, Part "C" of Connecticut's Worker Classification test is being examined. According to...

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Youth Unemployment Rates Rise

Connecticut - According to the 2016 State of Working Connecticut Report the state added 5,700 jobs in January and the unemployment rate remained at a relatively healthy 4.5 percent, but according to economists the unemployment rate for young people in the state is...

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State Sues IBM for Failed Unemployment Computer System Overhaul

Pennsylvania – On Thursday March 9th, Governor Tom Wolfe’s Administration filed a lawsuit against IBM for breach of contract. In a public statement Governor Wolf said “Pennsylvania taxpayers paid IBM nearly $170 million for what was supposed to be a comprehensive,...

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