Bill Text: CA AB944 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 944 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Unemployment compensation benefits: hearing procedures.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Failed) 2016-02-01 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB944 Detail]

Download: California-2015-AB944-Introduced.html

BILL NUMBER: AB 944	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Obernolte

                        FEBRUARY 26, 2015

   An act to amend Section 1951 of the Unemployment Insurance Code,
relating to unemployment compensation.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 944, as introduced, Obernolte. Unemployment compensation
benefits: hearing procedures.
   Existing law creates the Employment Development Department and
requires that it pay unemployment compensation benefits to
individuals who meet specified requirements, are unemployed, as
defined, and file a valid claim for these benefits. Existing law
requires employers to make specified contributions to the
Unemployment Fund to finance those benefits and authorizes employers
and individual claiming unemployment compensation benefits to appeal
determinations of eligibility, among other things. Existing law
regulates the hearings of disputed claims, appeals, and petitions and
requires the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board, among
other things, to permit a party or representative to participate in a
hearing by telephone upon the party's or representative's request,
as specified.
   This bill would instead require those hearings to be conducted by
telephone unless a party or representative requests otherwise
pursuant to regulations adopted by the board.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 1951 of the Unemployment Insurance Code is
amended to read:
   1951.  The manner in which disputed claims, appeals and petitions
shall be presented, the reports required thereon from the claimant
and from any employing unit and the conduct of hearings and appeals
shall be in accordance with rules prescribed by the appeals board.
The appeals board shall require administrative law judges to
consolidate for hearing cases with respect to which the alleged facts
and the points of law are the same.  The appeals board shall
permit a party or representative to participate in a hearing by
telephone upon the party's or representative's request and showing a
good cause, in accordance with regulations adopted by the board.
  Hearings shall be conducted by telephone unless 
 a party or representative requests otherwise pursuant to
regulations adopted by the board.