CALIFORNIA – T&C CLIENTS NOT IMPACTED BY CHANGES TO CHILD SUPPORT REQUESTS
In a recent correspondence to employers, the California Department of Child Support Services announced that they would no longer pay for employment, wage, and insurance information from third-party providers, effective May 1, 2025. Many providers charge for social service forms, like child support requests, which ultimately results in these forms being sent back to your organization, creating additional administrative burden for you and your team.
The good news is that Thomas & Company partners will not be impacted by this change! At Thomas & Company, we have you covered. We do not – and have never – charged government agencies to use our service. As an attested government agency, these verifiers will continue to have access to your employees’ data free of charge through the same secure method as is currently used.
Not a current Thomas & Company client and concerned about these changes?
Thomas & Company would love to expand our partnership with you, providing your organization industry-leading customer service and data security. We never charge you, your employees, or government agencies for these important verifications! Reach out to your Client Services Representative today to learn more.
MASSACHUSETTS – INCREASED UNEMPLOYMENT RATE TRIGGERS ADDITIONAL BENEFIT WEEKS
An increase in unemployment rate in the Springfield area has triggered an automatic increase to unemployment benefit duration for individuals filing in Massachusetts. The unemployment rate rose to a 12-month average of 5.2% in the Springfield area, according to federal data.
Under state law, an extension to benefit duration is automatically triggered when any of the Commonwealth’s seven metropolitan areas reaches or exceeds 5.1%. All other metro areas remain below 5%.
Claimants have been eligible for a maximum 26 weeks of unemployment benefits since June 2023. If/when unemployment rates across the state all fall back to or below 5.1%, the shorter benefit duration will go back into effect.
Until that time, those filing may be eligible for up to 30 weeks of benefits – but only if they are monetarily eligible for those 30 weeks, which the state reports many are not and qualify for less based on their historical wages.
Access to additional benefits may further strain an already troubled State Trust Fund that is projected to be in the red by 2028, resulting in the potential for higher tax rates for employers in the future. Organizations like the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) are urging lawmakers to reform the state unemployment insurance program to make it more sustainable long-term and to help increase competitiveness in the private sector.
MINNESOTA – STATE LEGISLATORS LOOKING TO REPEAL UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT EXPANSION FOR HOURLY SCHOOL WORKERS
A divided House in Minnesota Congress could result in the expiration of an unemployment benefits expansion that allows hourly school workers like bus drivers, food service workers, etc. to receive unemployment benefits when students are on summer break.
Previously, the state approved benefits for these workers, providing $135 million in funding to provide benefits until 2027 (or sooner if the fund runs down). Now, a funding deal that requires bipartisan support could end these expanded benefits by September 2028.
WASHINGTON – STRIKING WORKERS MAY BE ON THEIR WAY TO RECEIVING UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
Striking workers are one step closer to obtaining eligibility to receive unemployment benefits during a strike. Under the Washington Senate Bill 5041, striking workers could receive up to six weeks of unemployment benefits. Workers would be eligible the second Sunday after a strike begins plus the traditional waiting week. The Bill also requires the Employment Security Department to submit data associated with the prevalence of strikes and the associated cost of these striking worker benefits.
The Bill, which passed both the House and Senate, now moves to the desk of Governor Bob Ferguson. It is unclear if Governor Ferguson will sign. If signed into law, the Bill would be enacted on January 1, 2026 and be valid through December 31, 2035. Washington would join New York and New Jersey as the only states to provide any type of unemployment benefits for striking workers.
WISCONSIN – ASSEMBLY APPROVES BILL ADDING ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS TO UNEMPLOYMENT WORK SEARCHES
Several Assembly Bills were recently passed Wisconsin, along Assembly party lines, that would impact unemployment benefits.
AB 164 would increase and provide additional specific actions required as part of the already mandatory work search(es) associated with collecting benefits in the state. Speaker Robin Vos says that the Bill incentivizes claimants to collect benefits “the right way.” If passed, the bill would require:
- for the third and subsequent weeks of a claimant’s benefit year, that at least two of the required weekly work search actions be direct contacts with potential employers.
- a claimant who resides in this state, for each week other than an initial week, to submit and keep posted on the DWD’s job center website a current resume.
- when a claimant is claiming benefits with less than three weeks of benefits left, that the claimant complete a reemployment counseling session.
An additional bill, AB167, looks to expand the definition of employee misconduct and make it easier to find claimants ineligible for benefits associated with theft of an employer’s property or services, provides additional guidance associated with misconduct associated with absenteeism, and provides for misconduct covering social media use.
AB162 would require additional tracking and report of workforce development programs and activities, including unemployment rates and earnings of participants.
AB168 makes various changes to unemployment insurance including requiring
- Identity Proofing
- Increased Fraud Statute of Limitations
- Education and Informational Materials
- Call Center Requirements
- Database Comparison Requirements
- Fraud Detection
Most of these bills are similar to those passed in the 2024 legislative session, which were ultimately vetoed by Governor Tony Evers.
Additional details, including specific bill language, can be found here.
Thomas & Company will continue to monitor all legislation as it makes its way through the legislative process.
