Senate Bill 2722

AN ACT TO CREATE A NEW SECTION IN TITLE 71, CHAPTER 5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO BE KNOWN AS THE "BACK TO WORK MISSISSIPPI ACT"; TO SET LIMITS ON THE DURATION OF UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION BENEFITS BASED ON THE STATE AVERAGE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE; TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SECURITY TO ESTABLISH A PROCESS BY WHICH OPEN POSITIONS SUBMITTED TO ANY STATE-ADMINISTERED JOB BOARD BY EMPLOYERS WILL BE DIRECTLY SHARED WITH UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMANTS BY THE DEPARTMENT AND A PROCESS BY WHICH THE DEPARTMENT SHALL REFER UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMANTS TO SUCH OPEN POSITIONS, INCLUDING FACILITATING CONTACT BETWEEN EMPLOYERS AND CLAIMANTS AND MONITORING WHETHER CLAIMANTS ARE SUFFICIENTLY RESPONSIVE TO A REFERRAL; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Back to Work Mississippi Act."

(2) For purposes of this section, "state average unemployment rate" means the average of the three (3) months for the most recent third calendar year quarter of the seasonally adjusted unemployment rates as published by the department or any other agency responsible for collecting and publishing unemployment rate data.

(3) For unemployment compensation claims submitted during a calendar year, the duration of benefits is limited to:

(a) Twelve (12) weeks if the state average unemployment rate is at or below five and one-half percent (5-1/2%);

(b) One (1) week in addition to the twelve (12) weeks for each half percent (1/2%) increment in the state average unemployment rate above five and one-half percent (5-1/2%); and

(4) Using its existing resources, the department shall establish a process by which open positions submitted to any state-administered job board by employers will be directly shared with unemployment claimants by the department and a process by which, for the purpose of helping unemployment claimants secure suitable work, the department shall refer unemployment claimants to such open positions, including facilitating contact between employers and claimants and monitoring whether claimants are sufficiently responsive to a referral. Claimants shall be subject to the requirements of this section regardless of job attachment classification.

(5) The department shall promulgate all rules and regulations necessary for effectuating this section.

SECTION 2. Section 1 of this act shall be codified in Title 71, Chapter 5, Mississippi Code of 1972.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2022.