1. © Prentice-Hall, Inc., 2001 Chapter Ten Legally Required Benefits

2. © Prentice-Hall, Inc., 2001 Table 10-1 Eligibility Criteria for Unemployment Insurance Benefits l To be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits, an individual must: »1. Not have left a job voluntarily »2. Be able and available to work »3. Be actively seeking work »4. Not have refused an offer of suitable employment »5. Not be unemployed because of a labor dispute (exception in a few states) »6. Not have had employment terminated because of gross violations of conduct within the workplace

3. © Prentice-Hall, Inc., 2001 Table 10-2 Unemployment Benefit Amounts for Selected States STATE Alabama California Florida WEEKLY BEN. AMOUNT (WBA) MINIMUM BASE PERIOD AND QUALIFYING WAGES WAITING PERIOD MAXIMUM TOTAL BENEFIT INCLUDING EXTENDED BENEFITS $22 min., $180 max. eff. 7/3/94 $40 min., $230 max. $10 min., $250 max. Lesser of 26 times WBA or 1/3 base period wages 26 times WBA, up to 1/2 base period wages 1/2 of weeks worked in base period 1 1/2 items high quarter wages; at least $774.02 $1,300 in high quarter, or $900 in high quarter and total base period wages of 1 1/4 times high quarter wages 20 times claimant’s average weekly wages (at least $20) None One week

4. © Prentice-Hall, Inc., 2001 Table 10-4 Primary Obligations of State Workers’ Compensation Programs l 1. Take initiative in administering the law. l 2. Continually review performance of the program and be willing to change procedures and to request the state legislature to make needed amendments. l 3. Advise workers of their rights and obligations and assure that they receive the benefits to which they are entitled. l 4. Apprise employers and insurance carriers of their rights and obligations; inform other parties in the delivery system such as health care providers of their obligations and privileges. l 5. Assist in voluntary and informal resolution of disputes that are consistent with law. l 6. Adjudicate claims that cannot be resolved voluntarily. Source: J.V. Nackley, Primer on workers’ compensation (Washington, DC: The Bureau of National Affairs, 1989).