Missouri SB 690: Modifies provisions relating to employment security

Bill Text

SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 690
100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR CUNNINGHAM.
Pre-filed December 1, 2019, and ordered printed.
ADRIANE D. CROUSE, Secretary.
3778S.02I
AN ACT
To repeal section 288.060 as enacted by house bill no. 150, ninety-eighth general
assembly, first regular session, and section 288.060 as enacted by house bill
no. 163, ninety-sixth general assembly, first regular session, and to enact in
lieu thereof one new section relating to employment security.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Section 288.060 as enacted by house bill no. 150, ninety-eighth
2 general assembly, first regular session, and section 288.060 as enacted by house
3 bill no. 163, ninety-sixth general assembly, first regular session, is repealed and
4 one new section enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 288.060, to read
5 as follows:
[288.060. 1. All benefits shall be paid through employment
2 offices in accordance with such regulations as the division may
3 prescribe.
4 2. Each eligible insured worker who is totally unemployed
5 in any week shall be paid for such week a sum equal to his or her
6 weekly benefit amount.
7 3. Each eligible insured worker who is partially unemployed
8 in any week shall be paid for such week a partial benefit. Such
9 partial benefit shall be an amount equal to the difference between
10 his or her weekly benefit amount and that part of his or her wages
11 for such week in excess of twenty dollars, and, if such partial
12 benefit amount is not a multiple of one dollar, such amount shall
13 be reduced to the nearest lower full dollar amount. For calendar
14 year 2007 and each year thereafter, such partial benefit shall be an
EXPLANATION--Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in this bill is not enacted and is
intended to be omitted in the law.

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15 amount equal to the difference between his or her weekly benefit
16 amount and that part of his or her wages for such week in excess
17 of twenty dollars or twenty percent of his or her weekly benefit
18 amount, whichever is greater, and, if such partial benefit amount
19 is not a multiple of one dollar, such amount shall be reduced to the
20 nearest lower full dollar amount. Pay received by an eligible
21 insured worker who is a member of the organized militia for
22 training or duty authorized by Section 502(a)(1) of Title 32, United
23 States Code, shall not be considered wages for the purpose of this
24 subsection.
25 4. The division shall compute the wage credits for each
26 individual by crediting him or her with the wages paid to him or
27 her for insured work during each quarter of his or her base period
28 or twenty-six times his or her weekly benefit amount, whichever is
29 the lesser. In addition, if a claimant receives wages in the form of
30 termination pay or severance pay and such payment appears in a
31 base period established by the filing of an initial claim, the
32 claimant may, at his or her option, choose to have such payment
33 included in the calendar quarter in which it was paid or choose to
34 have it prorated equally among the quarters comprising the base
35 period of the claim. For the purpose of this section, wages shall be
36 counted as wage credits for any benefit year, only if such benefit
37 year begins subsequent to the date on which the employing unit by
38 whom such wages were paid has become an employer. The wage
39 credits of an individual earned during the period commencing with
40 the end of a prior base period and ending on the date on which he
41 or she filed an allowed initial claim shall not be available for
42 benefit purposes in a subsequent benefit year unless, in addition
43 thereto, such individual has subsequently earned either wages for
44 insured work in an amount equal to at least five times his or her
45 current weekly benefit amount or wages in an amount equal to at
46 least ten times his or her current weekly benefit amount.
47 5. The duration of benefits payable to any insured worker
48 during any benefit year shall be limited to:
49 (1) Twenty weeks if the Missouri average unemployment
50 rate is nine percent or higher;

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51 (2) Nineteen weeks if the Missouri average unemployment
52 rate is between eight and one-half percent and nine percent;
53 (3) Eighteen weeks if the Missouri average unemployment
54 rate is eight percent up to and including eight and one-half
55 percent;
56 (4) Seventeen weeks if the Missouri average unemployment
57 rate is between seven and one-half percent and eight percent;
58 (5) Sixteen weeks if the Missouri average unemployment
59 rate is seven percent up to and including seven and one-half
60 percent;
61 (6) Fifteen weeks if the Missouri average unemployment
62 rate is between six and one-half percent and seven percent;
63 (7) Fourteen weeks if the Missouri average unemployment
64 rate is six percent up to and including six and one-half percent;
65 (8) Thirteen w