History: L. 1937, ch. 255, § 1; L. 1949, ch. 288, § 1; March 5.
History: L. 1937, ch. 255, § 2; March 29.
(a) (1) "Annual payroll" means the total amount of wages paid or payable by an employer during the calendar year.
(2) "Average annual payroll" means the average of the annual payrolls of any employer for the last three calendar years immediately preceding the computation date as hereinafter defined if the employer has been continuously subject to contributions during those three calendar years and has paid some wages for employment during each of such years. In determining contribution rates for the calendar year, if an employer has not been continuously subject to contribution for the three calendar years immediately preceding the computation date but has paid wages subject to contributions during only the two calendar years immediately preceding the computation date, such employer's "average annual payroll" shall be the average of the payrolls for those two calendar years.
(3) "Total wages" means the total amount of wages paid or payable by an employer during the calendar year, including that part of remuneration in excess of the limitation prescribed as provided in subsection (o)(1) of this section.
(b) "Base period" means the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters immediately preceding the first day of an individual's benefit year, except that the base period in respect to combined wage claims means the base period as defined in the law of the paying state.
(1) If an individual lacks sufficient base period wages in order to establish a benefit year in the matter set forth above and satisfies the requirements of subsection (g) of K.S.A. 44-705 and subsection (hh) of K.S.A. 44-703, and amendments thereto, the claimant shall have an alternative base period substituted for the current base period so as not to prevent establishment of a valid claim. For the purposes of this subsection, "alternative base period" means the last four completed quarters immediately preceding the date the qualifying injury occurred. In the event the wages in the alternative base period have been used on a prior claim, then they shall be excluded from the new alternative base period.
(2) For the purposes of this chapter, the term "base period" includes the alternative base period.
(c) (1) "Benefits" means the money payments payable to an individual, as provided in this act, with respect to such individual's unemployment.
(2) "Regular benefits" means benefits payable to an individual under this act or under any other state law, including benefits payable to federal civilian employees and to ex-servicemen pursuant to 5 U.S.C. chapter 85, other than extended benefits.
(d) "Benefit year" with respect to any individual, means the period beginning with the first day of the first week for which such individual files a valid claim for benefits, and such benefit year shall continue for one full year. In the case of a combined wage claim, the benefit year shall be the benefit year of the paying state. Following the termination of a benefit year, a subsequent benefit year shall commence on the first day of the first week with respect to which an individual next files a claim for benefits. When such filing occurs with respect to a week which overlaps the preceding benefit year, the subsequent benefit year shall commence on the first day immediately following the expiration date of the preceding benefit year. Any claim for benefits made in accordance with subsection (a) of K.S.A. 44-709, and amendments thereto, shall be deemed to be a "valid claim" for the purposes of this subsection if the individual has been paid wages for insured work as required under subsection (e) of K.S.A. 44-705 and amendments thereto. Whenever a week of unemployment overlaps two benefit years, such week shall, for the purpose of granting waiting-period credit or benefit payment with respect thereto, be deemed to be a week of unemployment within that benefit year in which the greater part of such week occurs.
(e) "Commissioner" or "secretary" means the secretary of labor.
(f) (1) "Contributions" means the money payments to the state employment security fund which are required to be made by employers on account of employment under K.S.A. 44-710, and amendments thereto, and voluntary payments made by employers pursuant to such statute.
(2) "Payments in lieu of contributions" means the money payments to the state employment security fund from employers which are required to make or which elect to make such payments under subsection (e) of K.S.A. 44-710 and amendments thereto.
(g) "Employing unit" means any individual or type of organization, including any partnership, association, limited liability company, agency or department of the state of Kansas and political subdivisions thereof, trust, estate, joint-stock company, insurance company or corporation, whether domestic or foreign including nonprofit corporations, or the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, trustee or successor thereof, or the legal representatives of a deceased person, which has in its employ one or more individuals performing services for it within this state. All individuals performing services within this state for any employing unit which maintains two or more separate establishments within this state shall be deemed to be employed by a single employing unit for all the purposes of this act. Each individual employed to perform or to assist in performing the work of any agent or employee of an employing unit shall be deemed to be employed by such employing unit for all the purposes of this act, whether such individual was hired or paid directly by such employing unit or by such agent or employee, provided the employing unit had actual or constructive knowledge of the employment.
(h) "Employer" means:
(1) (A) Any employing unit for which agricultural labor as defined in subsection (w) of this section is performed and which during any calendar quarter in either the current or preceding calendar year paid remuneration in cash of $20,000 or more to individuals employed in agricultural labor or for some portion of a day in each of 20 different calendar weeks, whether or not such weeks were consecutive, in either the current or the preceding calendar year, employed in agricultural labor 10 or more individuals, regardless of whether they were employed at the same moment of time.
(B) For the purpose of this subsection (h)(1), any individual who is a member of a crew furnished by a crew leader to perform service in agricultural labor for any other person shall be treated as an employee of such crew leader if:
(i) Such crew leader holds a valid certificate of registration under the federal migrant and seasonal agricultural workers protection act or substantially all the members of such crew operate or maintain tractors, mechanized harvesting or cropdusting equipment or any other mechanized equipment, which is provided by such crew leader; and
(ii) such individual is not in the employment of such other person within the meaning of subsection (i) of this section.
(C) For the purpose of this subsection (h)(1), in the case of any individual who is furnished by a crew leader to perform service in agricultural labor for any other person and who is not treated as an employee of such crew leader:
(i) Such other person and not the crew leader shall be treated as the employer of such individual; and
(ii) such other person shall be treated as having paid cash remuneration to such individual in an amount equal to the amount of cash remuneration paid to such individual by the crew leader, either on the crew leader's own behalf or on behalf of such other person, for the service in agricultural labor performed for such other person.
(D) For the purposes of this subsection (h)(1) "crew leader" means an individual who:
(i) Furnishes individuals to perform service in agricultural labor for any other person;
(ii) pays, either on such individual's own behalf or on behalf of such other person, the individuals so furnished by such individual for the service in agricultural labor performed by them; and
(iii) has not entered into a written agreement with such other person under which such individual is designated as an employee of such other person.
(2) (A) Any employing unit which for calendar year 2007 and each calendar year thereafter: (i) In any calendar quarter in either the current or preceding calendar year paid for service in employment wages of $1,500 or more, (ii) for some portion of a day in each of 20 different calendar weeks, whether or not such weeks were consecutive, in either the current or preceding calendar year, had in employment at least one individual, whether or not the same individual was in employment in each such day, or (iii) elects to have an unemployment tax account established at the time of initial registration in accordance with subsection (c) of K.S.A. 44-711, and amendments thereto.
(B) Employment of individuals to perform domestic service or agricultural labor and wages paid for such service or labor shall not be considered in determining whether an employing unit meets the criteria of this subsection (h)(2).
(3) Any employing unit for which service is employment as defined in subsection (i)(3)(E) of this section.
(4) (A) Any employing unit, whether or not it is an employing unit under subsection (g) of this section, which acquires or in any manner succeeds to (i) substantially all of the employing enterprises, organization, trade or business, or (ii) substantially all the assets, of another employing unit which at the time of such acquisition was an employer subject to this act;
(B) any employing unit which is controlled substantially, either directly or indirectly by legally enforceable means or otherwise, by the same interest or interests, whether or not such interest or interests are an employing unit under subsection (g) of this section, which acquires or in any manner succeeds to a portion of an employer's annual payroll, which is less than 100% of such employer's annual payroll, and which intends to continue the acquired portion as a going business.
(5) Any employing unit which paid cash remuneration of $1,000 or more in any calendar quarter in the current or preceding calendar year to individuals employed in domestic service as defined in subsection (aa) of this section.
(6) Any employing unit which having become an employer under this subsection (h) has not, under subsection (b) of K.S.A. 44-711, and amendments thereto, ceased to be an employer subject to this act.
(7) Any employing unit which has elected to become fully subject to this act in accordance with subsection (c) of K.S.A. 44-711 and amendments thereto.
(8) Any employing unit not an employer by reason of any other paragraph of this subsection (h), for which within either the current or preceding calendar year services in employment are or were performed with respect to which such employing unit is liable for any federal tax against which credit may be taken for contributions required to be paid into a state unemployment compensation fund; or which, as a condition for approval of this act for full tax credit against the tax imposed by the federal unemployment tax act, is required, pursuant to such act, to be an "employer" under this act.
(9) Any employing unit described in section 501(c)(3) of the federal internal revenue code of 1986 which is exempt from income tax under section 501(a) of the code that had four or more individuals in employment for some portion of a day in each of 20 different weeks, whether or not such weeks were consecutive, within either the current or preceding calendar year, regardless of whether they were employed at the same moment of time.
(i) "Employment" means:
(1) Subject to the other provisions of this subsection, service, including service in interstate commerce, performed by
(A) Any active officer of a corporation; or
(B) any individual who, under the usual common law rules applicable in determining the employer-employee relationship, has the status of an employee; or
(C) any individual other than an individual who is an employee under subsection (i)(1)(A) or subsection (i)(1)(B) above who performs services for remuneration for any person:
(i) As an agent-driver or commission-driver engaged in distributing meat products, vegetable products, fruit products, bakery products, beverages (other than milk), or laundry or dry-cleaning services, for such individual's principal; or
(ii) as a traveling or city salesman, other than as an agent-driver or commission-driver, engaged upon a full-time basis in the solicitation on behalf of, and the transmission to, a principal (except for side-line sales activities on behalf of some other person) of orders from wholesalers, retailers, contractors, or operators of hotels, restaurants, or other similar establishments for merchandise for resale or supplies for use in their business operations.
For purposes of subsection (i)(1)(D), the term "employment" shall include services described in paragraphs (i) and (ii) above only if:
(a) The contract of service contemplates that substantially all of the services are to be performed personally by such individual;
(b) the individual does not have a substantial investment in facilities used in connection with the performance of the services (other than in facilities for transportation); and
(c) the services are not in the nature of a single transaction that is not part of a continuing relationship with the person for whom the services are performed.
(2) The term "employment" shall include an individual's entire service within the United States, even though performed entirely outside this state if,
(A) The service is not localized in any state, and
(B) the individual is one of a class of employees who are required to travel outside this state in performance of their duties, and
(C) the individual's base of operations is in this state, or if there is no base of operations, then the place from which service is directed or controlled is in this state.
(3) The term "employment" shall also include:
(A) Services performed within this state but not covered by the provisions of subsection (i)(1) or subsection (i)(2) shall be deemed to be employment subject to this act if contributions are not required and paid with respect to such services under an unemployment compensation law of any other state or of the federal government.
(B) Services performed entirely without this state, with respect to no part of which contributions are required and paid under an unemployment compensation law of any other state or of the federal government, shall be deemed to be employment subject to this act only if the individual performing such services is a resident of this state and the secretary approved the election of the employing unit for whom such services are performed that the entire service of such individual shall be deemed to be employment subject to this act.
(C) Services covered by an arrangement pursuant to subsection (l) of K.S.A. 44-714, and amendments thereto, between the secretary and the agency charged with the administration of any other state or federal unemployment compensation law, pursuant to which all services performed by an individual for an employing unit are deemed to be performed entirely within this state, shall be deemed to be employment if the secretary has approved an election of the employing unit for whom such services are performed, pursuant to which the entire service of such individual during the period covered by such election is deemed to be insured work.
(D) Services performed by an individual for wages or under any contract of hire shall be deemed to be employment subject to this act unless and until it is shown to the satisfaction of the secretary that: (i) Such individual has been and will continue to be free from control or direction over the performance of such services, both under the individual's contract of hire and in fact; and (ii) such service is either outside the usual course of the business for which such service is performed or that such service is performed outside of all the places of business of the enterprise for which such service is performed.
(E) Service performed by an individual in the employ of this state or any instrumentality thereof, any political subdivision of this state or any instrumentality thereof, or in the employ of an Indian tribe, as defined pursuant to section 3306(u) of the federal unemployment tax act, any instrumentality of more than one of the foregoing or any instrumentality which is jointly owned by this state or a political subdivision thereof or Indian tribes and one or more other states or political subdivisions of this or other states, provided that such service is excluded from "employment" as defined in the federal unemployment tax act by reason of section 3306(c)(7) of that act and is not excluded from "employment" under subsection (i)(4)(A) of this section. For purposes of this section, the exclusions from employment in subsections (i)(4)(A) and (i)(4)(L) shall also be applicable to services performed in the employ of an Indian tribe.
(F) Service performed by an individual in the employ of a religious, charitable, educational or other organization which is excluded from the term "employment" as defined in the federal unemployment tax act solely by reason of section 3306(c)(8) of that act, and is not excluded from employment under paragraphs (I) through (M) of subsection (i)(4).
(G) The term "employment" shall include the service of an individual who is a citizen of the United States, performed outside the United States except in Canada, in the employ of an American employer (other than service which is deemed "employment" under the provisions of subsection (i)(2) or subsection (i)(3) or the parallel provisions of another state's law), if:
(i) The employer's principal place of business in the United States is located in this state; or
(ii) the employer has no place of business in the United States, but
(A) The employer is an individual who is a resident of this state; or
(B) the employer is a corporation which is organized under the laws of this state; or
(C) the employer is a partnership or a trust and the number of the partners or trustees who are residents of this state is greater than the number who are residents of any other state; or
(iii) none of the criteria of paragraphs (i) and (ii) above of this subsection (i)(3)(G) are met but the employer has elected coverage in this state or, the employer having failed to elect coverage in any state, the individual has filed a claim for benefits, based on such service, under the law of this state.
(H) An "American employer," for purposes of subsection (i)(3)(G), means a person who is:
(i) An individual who is a resident of the United States; or
(ii) a partnership if 2/3 or more of the partners are residents of the United States; or
(iii) a trust, if all of the trustees are residents of the United States; or
(iv) a corporation organized under the laws of the United States or of any state.
(I) Notwithstanding subsection (i)(2) of this section, all service performed by an officer or member of the crew of an American vessel or American aircraft on or in connection with such vessel or aircraft, if the operating office, from which the operations of such vessel or aircraft operating within, or within and without, the United States are ordinarily and regularly supervised, managed, directed and controlled is within this state.
(J) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this subsection (i), service with respect to which a tax is required to be paid under any federal law imposing a tax against which credit may be taken for contributions required to be paid into a state unemployment compensation fund or which as a condition for full tax credit against the tax imposed by the federal unemployment tax act is required to be covered under this act.
(K) Domestic service in a private home, local college club or local chapter of a college fraternity or sorority performed for a person who paid cash remuneration of $1,000 or more in any calendar quarter in the current calendar year or the preceding calendar year to individuals employed in such domestic service.
(4) The term "employment" shall not include: (A) Service performed in the employ of an employer specified in subsection (h)(3) of this section if such service is performed by an individual in the exercise of duties:
(i) As an elected official;
(ii) as a member of a legislative body, or a member of the judiciary, of a state, political subdivision or of an Indian tribe;
(iii) as a member of the state national guard or air national guard;
(iv) as an employee serving on a temporary basis in case of fire, storm, snow, earthquake, flood or similar emergency;
(v) in a position which, under or pursuant to the laws of this state or tribal law, is designated as a major nontenured policymaking or advisory position or as a policymaking or advisory position the performance of the duties of which ordinarily does not require more than eight hours per week;
(B) service with respect to which unemployment compensation is payable under an unemployment compensation system established by an act of congress;
(C) service performed by an individual in the employ of such individual's son, daughter or spouse, and service performed by a child under the age of 21 years in the employ of such individual's father or mother;
(D) service performed in the employ of the United States government or an instrumentality of the United States exempt under the constitution of the United States from the contributions imposed by this act, except that to the extent that the congress of the United States shall permit states to require any instrumentality of the United States to make payments into an unemployment fund under a state unemployment compensation law, all of the provisions of this act shall be applicable to such instrumentalities, and to services performed for such instrumentalities, in the same manner, to the same extent and on the same terms as to all other employers, employing units, individuals and services. If this state shall not be certified for any year by the federal security agency under section 3304(c) of the federal internal revenue code of 1986, the payments required of such instrumentalities with respect to such year shall be refunded by the secretary from the fund in the same manner and within the same period as is provided in subsection (f) of K.S.A. 44-717, and amendments thereto, with respect to contributions erroneously collected;
(E) service covered by an arrangement between the secretary and the agency charged with the administration of any other state or federal unemployment compensation law pursuant to which all services performed by an individual for an employing unit during the period covered by such employing unit's duly approved election, are deemed to be performed entirely within the jurisdiction of such other state or federal agency;
(F) service performed by an individual under the age of 18 in the delivery or distribution of newspapers or shopping news, not including delivery or distribution to any point for subsequent delivery or distribution;
(G) service performed by an individual for an employing unit as an insurance agent or as an insurance solicitor, if all such service performed by such individual for such employing unit is performed for remuneration solely by way of commission;
(H) service performed in any calendar quarter in the employ of any organization exempt from income tax under section 501(a) of the federal internal revenue code of 1986 (other than an organization described in section 401(a) or under section 521 of such code) if the remuneration for such service is less than $50. In construing the application of the term "employment," if services performed during 1/2 or more of any pay period by an individual for the person employing such individual constitute employment, all the services of such individual for such period shall be deemed to be employment; but if the services performed during more than 1/2 of any such pay period by an individual for the person employing such individual do not constitute employment, then none of the services of such individual for such period shall be deemed to be employment. As used in this subsection (i)(4)(H) the term "pay period" means a period (of not more than 31 consecutive days) for which a payment of remuneration is ordinarily made to the individual by the person employing such individual. This subsection (i)(4)(H) shall not be applicable with respect to services with respect to which unemployment compensation is payable under an unemployment compensation system established by an act of congress;
(I) services performed in the employ of a church or convention or association of churches, or an organization which is operated primarily for religious purposes and which is operated, supervised, controlled, or principally supported by a church or convention or association of churches;
(J) service performed by a duly ordained, commissioned, or licensed minister of a church in the exercise of such individual's ministry or by a member of a religious order in the exercise of duties required by such order;
(K) service performed in a facility conducted for the purpose of carrying out a program of:
(i) Rehabilitation for individuals whose earning capacity is impaired by age or physical or mental deficiency or injury, or
(ii) providing remunerative work for individuals who because of their impaired physical or mental capacity cannot be readily absorbed in the competitive labor market, by an individual receiving such rehabilitation or remunerative work;
(L) service performed as part of an employment work-relief or work-training program assisted or financed in whole or in part by any federal agency or an agency of a state or political subdivision thereof or of an Indian tribe, by an individual receiving such work relief or work training;
(M) service performed by an inmate of a custodial or correctional institution;
(N) service performed, in the employ of a school, college, or university, if such service is performed by a student who is enrolled and is regularly attending classes at such school, college or university;
(O) service performed by an individual who is enrolled at a nonprofit or public educational institution which normally maintains a regular faculty and curriculum and normally has a regularly organized body of students in attendance at the place where its educational activities are carried on as a student in a full-time program, taken for credit at such institution, which combines academic instruction with work experience, if such service is an integral part of such program, and such institution has so certified to the employer, except that this subsection (i)(4)(O) shall not apply to service performed in a program established for or on behalf of an employer or group of employers;
(P) service performed in the employ of a hospital licensed, certified or approved by the secretary of health and environment, if such service is performed by a patient of the hospital;
(Q) services performed as a qualified real estate agent. As used in this subsection (i)(4)(Q) the term "qualified real estate agent" means any individual who is licensed by the Kansas real estate commission as a salesperson under the real estate brokers' and salespersons' license act and for whom:
(i) Substantially all of the remuneration, whether or not paid in cash, for the services performed by such individual as a real estate salesperson is directly related to sales or other output, including the performance of services, rather than to the number of hours worked; and
(ii) the services performed by the individual are performed pursuant to a written contract between such individual and the person for whom the services are performed and such contract provides that the individual will not be treated as an employee with respect to such services for state tax purposes;
(R) services performed for an employer by an extra in connection with any phase of motion picture or television production or television commercials for less than 14 days during any calendar year. As used in this subsection, the term "extra" means an individual who pantomimes in the background, adds atmosphere to the set and performs such actions without speaking and "employer" shall not include any employer which is a governmental entity or any employer described in section 501(c)(3) of the federal internal revenue code of 1986 which is exempt from income taxation under section 501(a) of the code;
(S) services performed by an oil and gas contract pumper. As used in this subsection (i)(4)(S), "oil and gas contract pumper" means a person performing pumping and other services on one or more oil or gas leases, or on both oil and gas leases, relating to the operation and maintenance of such oil and gas leases, on a contractual basis for the operators of such oil and gas leases and "services" shall not include services performed for a governmental entity or any organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the federal internal revenue code of 1986 which is exempt from income taxation under section 501(a) of the code;
(T) service not in the course of the employer's trade or business performed in any calendar quarter by an employee, unless the cash remuneration paid for such service is $200 or more and such service is performed by an individual who is regularly employed by such employer to perform such service. For purposes of this paragraph, an individual shall be deemed to be regularly employed by an employer during a calendar quarter only if:
(i) On each of some 24 days during such quarter such individual performs for such employer for some portion of the day service not in the course of the employer's trade or business, or
(ii) such individual was regularly employed, as determined under subparagraph (i), by such employer in the performance of such service during the preceding calendar quarter.
Such excluded service shall not include any services performed for an employer which is a governmental entity or any employer described in section 501(c)(3) of the federal internal revenue code of 1986 which is exempt from income taxation under section 501(a) of the code;
(U) service which is performed by any person who is a member of a limited liability company and which is performed as a member or manager of that limited liability company; and
(V) services performed as a qualified direct seller. The term "direct seller" means any person if:
(i) Such person:
(a) is engaged in the trade or business of selling or soliciting the sale of consumer products to any buyer on a buy-sell basis or a deposit-commission basis for resale, by the buyer or any other person, in the home or otherwise rather than in a permanent retail establishment; or
(b) is engaged in the trade or business of selling or soliciting the sale of consumer products in the home or otherwise than in a permanent retail establishment;
(ii) substantially all the remuneration whether or not paid in cash for the performance of the services described in subparagraph (i) is directly related to sales or other output including the performance of services rather than to the number of hours worked;
(iii) the services performed by the person are performed pursuant to a written contract between such person and the person for whom the services are performed and such contract provides that the person will not be treated as an employee for federal and state tax purposes;
(iv) for purposes of this act, a sale or a sale resulting exclusively from a solicitation made by telephone, mail, or other telecommunications method, or other nonpersonal method does not satisfy the requirements of this subsection;
(W) service performed as an election official or election worker, if the amount of remuneration received by the individual during the calendar year for services as an election official or election worker is less than $1,000;
(X) service performed by agricultural workers who are aliens admitted to the United States to perform labor pursuant to section 1101 (a)(15)(H)(ii)(a) of the immigration and nationality act; and
(Y) service performed by an owner-operator of a motor vehicle that is leased or contracted to a licensed motor carrier with the services of a driver and is not treated under the terms of the lease agreement or contract with the licensed motor carrier as an employee for purposes of the federal insurance contribution act, 26 U.S.C. § 3101 et seq., the federal social security act, 42 U.S.C. § 301 et seq., the federal unemployment tax act, 26 U.S.C. § 3301 et seq., and the federal statutes prescribing income tax withholding at the source, 26 U.S.C. § 3401 et seq. Employees or agents of the owner-operator shall not be considered employees of the licensed motor carrier for purposes of employment security taxation or compensation. As used in this subsection (Y), the following definitions apply: (i) "Motor vehicle" means any automobile, truck-trailer, semitrailer, tractor, motor bus or any other self-propelled or motor-driven vehicle used upon any of the public highways of Kansas for the purpose of transporting persons or property; (ii) "licensed motor carrier" means any person, firm, corporation or other business entity that holds a certificate of convenience and necessity or a certificate of public service from the state corporation commission or is required to register motor carrier equipment pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 14504; and (iii) "owner-operator" means a person, firm, corporation or other business entity that is the owner of a single motor vehicle that is driven exclusively by the owner under a lease agreement or contract with a licensed motor carrier.
(j) "Employment office" means any office operated by this state and maintained by the secretary of labor for the purpose of assisting persons to become employed.
(k) "Fund" means the employment security fund established by this act, to which all contributions and reimbursement payments required and from which all benefits provided under this act shall be paid and including all money received from the federal government as reimbursements pursuant to section 204 of the federal-state extended compensation act of 1970, and amendments thereto.
(l) "State" includes, in addition to the states of the United States of America, any dependency of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands.
(m) "Unemployment." An individual shall be deemed "unemployed" with respect to any week during which such individual performs no services and with respect to which no wages are payable to such individual, or with respect to any week of less than full-time work if the wages payable to such individual with respect to such week are less than such individual's weekly benefit amount.
(n) "Employment security administration fund" means the fund established by this act, from which administrative expenses under this act shall be paid.
(o) "Wages" means all compensation for services, including commissions, bonuses, back pay and the cash value of all remuneration, including benefits, paid in any medium other than cash. The reasonable cash value of remuneration in any medium other than cash, shall be estimated and determined in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by the secretary. Compensation payable to an individual which has not been actually received by that individual within 21 days after the end of the pay period in which the compensation was earned shall be considered to have been paid on the 21st day after the end of that pay period. Effective January 1, 1986, gratuities, including tips received from persons other than the employing unit, shall be considered wages when reported in writing to the employer by the employee. Employees must furnish a written statement to the employer, reporting all tips received if they total $20 or more for a calendar month whether the tips are received directly from a person other than the employer or are paid over to the employee by the employer. This includes amounts designated as tips by a customer who uses a credit card to pay the bill. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this subsection (o), wages paid in back pay awards or settlements shall be allocated to the week or weeks and reported in the manner as specified in the award or agreement, or, in the absence of such specificity in the award or agreement, such wages shall be allocated to the week or weeks in which such wages, in the judgment of the secretary, would have been paid. The term "wages" shall not include:
(1) That part of the remuneration which has been paid in a calendar year to an individual by an employer or such employer's predecessor in excess of $3,000 for all calendar years prior to 1972, $4,200 for the calendar years 1972 to 1977, inclusive, $6,000 for calendar years 1978 to 1982, inclusive, $7,000 for the calendar year 1983, and $8,000 with respect to employment during any calendar year following 1983, except that if the definition of the term "wages" as contained in the federal unemployment tax act is amended to include remuneration in excess of $8,000 paid to an individual by an employer under the federal act during any calendar year, wages shall include remuneration paid in a calendar year to an individual by an employer subject to this act or such employer's predecessor with respect to employment during any calendar year up to an amount equal to the dollar limitation specified in the federal unemployment tax act. For the purposes of this subsection (o)(1), the term "employment" shall include service constituting employment under any employment security law of another state or of the federal government;
(2) the amount of any payment (including any amount paid by an employing unit for insurance or annuities, or into a fund, to provide for any such payment) made to, or on behalf of, an employee or any of such employee's dependents under a plan or system established by an employer which makes provisions for employees generally, for a class or classes of employees or for such employees or a class or classes of employees and their dependents, on account of (A) sickness or accident disability, except in the case of any payment made to an employee or such employee's dependents, this subparagraph shall exclude from the term "wages" only payments which are received under a workers compensation law. Any third party which makes a payment included as wages by reason of this subparagraph (2)(A) shall be treated as the employer with respect to such wages, or (B) medical and hospitalization expenses in connection with sickness or accident disability, or (C) death;
(3) any payment on account of sickness or accident disability, or medical or hospitalization expenses in connection with sickness or accident disability, made by an employer to, or on behalf of, an employee after the expiration of six calendar months following the last calendar month in which the employee worked for such employer;
(4) any payment made to, or on behalf of, an employee or such employee's beneficiary:
(A) From or to a trust described in section 401(a) of the federal internal revenue code of 1986 which is exempt from tax under section 501(a) of the federal internal revenue code of 1986 at the time of such payment unless such payment is made to an employee of the trust as remuneration for services rendered as such employee and not as a beneficiary of the trust;
(B) under or to an annuity plan which, at the time of such payment, is a plan described in section 403(a) of the federal internal revenue code of 1986;
(C) under a simplified employee pension as defined in section 408(k)(1) of the federal internal revenue code of 1986, other than any contribution described in section 408(k)(6) of the federal internal revenue code of 1986;
(D) under or to an annuity contract described in section 403(b) of the federal internal revenue code of 1986, other than a payment for the purchase of such contract which was made by reason of a salary reduction agreement whether evidenced by a written instrument or otherwise;
(E) under or to an exempt governmental deferred compensation plan as defined in section 3121(v)(3) of the federal internal revenue code of 1986;
(F) to supplement pension benefits under a plan or trust described in any of the foregoing provisions of this subparagraph to take into account some portion or all of the increase in the cost of living, as determined by the secretary of labor, since retirement but only if such supplemental payments are under a plan which is treated as a welfare plan under section 3(2)(B)(ii) of the federal employee retirement income security act of 1974; or
(G) under a cafeteria plan within the meaning of section 125 of the federal internal revenue code of 1986;
(5) the payment by an employing unit (without deduction from the remuneration of the employee) of the tax imposed upon an employee under section 3101 of the federal internal revenue code of 1986 with respect to remuneration paid to an employee for domestic service in a private home of the employer or for agricultural labor;
(6) remuneration paid in any medium other than cash to an employee for service not in the course of the employer's trade or business;
(7) remuneration paid to or on behalf of an employee if and to the extent that at the time of the payment of such remuneration it is reasonable to believe that a corresponding deduction is allowable under section 217 of the federal internal revenue code of 1986 relating to moving expenses;
(8) any payment or series of payments by an employer to an employee or any of such employee's dependents which is paid:
(A) Upon or after the termination of an employee's employment relationship because of (i) death or (ii) retirement for disability; and
(B) under a plan established by the employer which makes provisions for employees generally, a class or classes of employees or for such employees or a class or classes of employees and their dependents, other than any such payment or series of payments which would have been paid if the employee's employment relationship had not been so terminated;
(9) remuneration for agricultural labor paid in any medium other than cash;
(10) any payment made, or benefit furnished, to or for the benefit of an employee if at the time of such payment or such furnishing it is reasonable to believe that the employee will be able to exclude such payment or benefit from income under section 129 of the federal internal revenue code of 1986 which relates to dependent care assistance programs;
(11) the value of any meals or lodging furnished by or on behalf of the employer if at the time of such furnishing it is reasonable to believe that the employee will be able to exclude such items from income under section 119 of the federal internal revenue code of 1986;
(12) any payment made by an employer to a survivor or the estate of a former employee after the calendar year in which such employee died;
(13) any benefit provided to or on behalf of an employee if at the time such benefit is provided it is reasonable to believe that the employee will be able to exclude such benefit from income under section 74(c), 117 or 132 of the federal internal revenue code of 1986;
(14) any payment made, or benefit furnished, to or for the benefit of an employee, if at the time of such payment or such furnishing it is reasonable to believe that the employee will be able to exclude such payment or benefit from income under section 127 of the federal internal revenue code of 1986 relating to educational assistance to the employee; or
(15) any payment made to or for the benefit of an employee if at the time of such payment it is reasonable to believe that the employee will be able to exclude such payment from income under section 106(d) of the federal internal revenue code of 1986 relating to health savings accounts.
Nothing in any paragraph of subsection (o), other than paragraph (1), shall exclude from the term "wages": (1) Any employer contribution under a qualified cash or deferred arrangement, as defined in section 401(k) of the federal internal revenue code of 1986, to the extent that such contribution is not included in gross income by reason of section 402(a)(8) of the federal internal revenue code of 1986; or (2) any amount treated as an employer contribution under section 414(h)(2) of the federal internal revenue code of 1986.
Any amount deferred under a nonqualified deferred compensation plan shall be taken into account for purposes of this section as of the later of when the services are performed or when there is no substantial risk of forfeiture of the rights to such amount. Any amount taken into account as wages by reason of this paragraph, and the income attributable thereto, shall not thereafter be treated as wages for purposes of this section. For purposes of this paragraph, the term "nonqualified deferred compensation plan" means any plan or other arrangement for deferral of compensation other than a plan described in subsection (o)(4).
(p) "Week" means such period or periods of seven consecutive calendar days, as the secretary may by rules and regulations prescribe.
(q) "Calendar quarter" means the period of three consecutive calendar months ending March 31, June 30, September 30 or December 31, or the equivalent thereof as the secretary may by rules and regulations prescribe.
(r) "Insured work" means employment for employers.
(s) "Approved training" means any vocational training course or course in basic education skills approved by the secretary or a person or persons designated by the secretary.
(t) "American vessel" or "American aircraft" means any vessel or aircraft documented or numbered or otherwise registered under the laws of the United States; and any vessel or aircraft which is neither documented or numbered or otherwise registered under the laws of the United States nor documented under the laws of any foreign country, if its crew performs service solely for one or more citizens or residents of the United States or corporations organized under the laws of the United States or of any state.
(u) "Institution of higher education," for the purposes of this section, means an educational institution which:
(1) Admits as regular students only individuals having a certificate of graduation from a high school, or the recognized equivalent of such a certificate;
(2) is legally authorized in this state to provide a program of education beyond high school;
(3) provides an educational program for which it awards a bachelor's or higher degree, or provides a program which is acceptable for full credit toward such a degree, a program of postgraduate or postdoctoral studies, or a program of training to prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation; and
(4) is a public or other nonprofit institution.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing provisions of this subsection (u), all colleges and universities in this state are institutions of higher education for purposes of this section, except that no college, university, junior college or other postsecondary school or institution which is operated by the federal government or any agency thereof shall be an institution of higher education for purposes of the employment security law.
(v) "Educational institution" means any institution of higher education, as defined in subsection (u) of this section, or any institution, except private for profit institutions, in which participants, trainees or students are offered an organized course of study or training designed to transfer to them knowledge, skills, information, doctrines, attitudes or abilities from, by or under the guidance of an instructor or teacher and which is approved, licensed or issued a permit to operate as a school by the state department of education or other government agency that is authorized within the state to approve, license or issue a permit for the operation of a school or to an Indian tribe in the operation of an educational institution. The courses of study or training which an educational institution offers may be academic, technical, trade or preparation for gainful employment in a recognized occupation.
(w) (1) "Agricultural labor" means any remunerated service:
(A) On a farm, in the employ of any person, in connection with cultivating the soil, or in connection with raising or harvesting any agricultural or horticultural commodity, including the raising, shearing, feeding, caring for, training, and management of livestock, bees, poultry, and furbearing animals and wildlife.
(B) In the employ of the owner or tenant or other operator of a farm, in connection with the operating, management, conservation, improvement, or maintenance of such farm and its tools and equipment, or in salvaging timber or clearing land of brush and other debris left by a hurricane, if the major part of such service is performed on a farm.
(C) In connection with the production or harvesting of any commodity defined as an agricultural commodity in section (15)(g) of the agricultural marketing act, as amended (46 Stat. 1500, sec. 3; 12 U.S.C. 1141j) or in connection with the ginning of cotton, or in connection with the operation or maintenance of ditches, canals, reservoirs or waterways, not owned or operated for profit, used exclusively for supplying and storing water for farming purposes.
(D) (i) In the employ of the operator of a farm in handling, planting, drying, packing, packaging, processing, freezing, grading, storing, or delivering to storage or to market or to a carrier for transportation to market, in its unmanufactured state, any agricultural or horticultural commodity; but only if such operator produced more than 1/2 of the commodity with respect to which such service is performed;
(ii) in the employ of a group of operators of farms (or a cooperative organization of which such operators are members) in the performance of service described in paragraph (i) above of this subsection (w)(1)(D), but only if such operators produced more than 1/2 of the commodity with respect to which such service is performed;
(iii) the provisions of paragraphs (i) and (ii) above of this subsection (w)(1)(D) shall not be deemed to be applicable with respect to service performed in connection with commercial canning or commercial freezing or in connection with any agricultural or horticultural commodity after its delivery to a terminal market for distribution for consumption.
(E) On a farm operated for profit if such service is not in the course of the employer's trade or business.
(2) "Agricultural labor" does not include service performed prior to January 1, 1980, by an individual who is an alien admitted to the United States to perform service in agricultural labor pursuant to sections 214(c) and 101(a)(15)(H) of the federal immigration and nationality act.
(3) As used in this subsection (w), the term "farm" includes stock, dairy, poultry, fruit, fur-bearing animal, and truck farms, plantations, ranches, nurseries, ranges, greenhouses, or other similar structures used primarily for the raising of agricultural or horticultural commodities, and orchards.
(4) For the purpose of this section, if an employing unit does not maintain sufficient records to separate agricultural labor from other employment, all services performed during any pay period by an individual for the person employing such individual shall be deemed to be agricultural labor if services performed during 1/2 or more of such pay period constitute agricultural labor; but if the services performed during more than 1/2 of any such pay period by an individual for the person employing such individual do not constitute agricultural labor, then none of the services of such individual for such period shall be deemed to be agricultural labor. As used in this subsection (w), the term "pay period" means a period of not more than 31 consecutive days for which a payment of remuneration is ordinarily made to the individual by the person employing such individual.
(x) "Reimbursing employer" means any employer who makes payments in lieu of contributions to the employment security fund as provided in subsection (e) of K.S.A. 44-710 and amendments thereto.
(y) "Contributing employer" means any employer other than a reimbursing employer or rated governmental employer.
(z) "Wage combining plan" means a uniform national arrangement approved by the United States secretary of labor in consultation with the state unemployment compensation agencies and in which this state shall participate, whereby wages earned in one or more states are transferred to another state, called the "paying state," and combined with wages in the paying state, if any, for the payment of benefits under the laws of the paying state and as provided by an arrangement so approved by the United States secretary of labor.
(aa) "Domestic service" means any service for a person in the operation and maintenance of a private household, local college club or local chapter of a college fraternity or sorority, as distinguished from service as an employee in the pursuit of an employer's trade, occupation, profession, enterprise or vocation.
(bb) "Rated governmental employer" means any governmental entity which elects to make payments as provided by K.S.A. 44-710d and amendments thereto.
(cc) "Benefit cost payments" means payments made to the employment security fund by a governmental entity electing to become a rated governmental employer.
(dd) "Successor employer" means any employer, as described in subsection (h) of this section, which acquires or in any manner succeeds to (1) substantially all of the employing enterprises, organization, trade or business of another employer or (2) substantially all the assets of another employer.
(ee) "Predecessor employer" means an employer, as described in subsection (h) of this section, who has previously operated a business or portion of a business with employment to which another employer has succeeded.
(ff) "Lessor employing unit" means any independently established business entity which engages in the business of providing leased employees to a client lessee.
(gg) "Client lessee" means any individual, organization, partnership, corporation or other legal entity leasing employees from a lessor employing unit.
(hh) "Qualifying injury" means a personal injury by accident arising out of and in the course of employment within the coverage of the Kansas workers compensation act, K.S.A. 44-501 et seq., and amendments thereto.
History: L. 1937, ch. 255, § 3; L. 1938, ch. 51, § 1; L. 1939, ch. 214, § 1; L. 1941, ch. 264, § 1; L. 1943, ch. 190, § 1; L. 1945, ch. 220, § 1; L. 1947, ch. 291, § 1; L. 1949, ch. 288, § 2; L. 1951, ch. 307, § 1; L. 1955, ch. 251, § 1; L. 1970, ch. 191, § 1; L. 1971, ch. 180, § 1; L. 1972, ch. 161, § 13; L. 1973, ch. 205, § 1; L. 1975, ch. 462, § 54; L. 1976, ch. 226, § 1; L. 1976, ch. 370, § 56; L. 1977, ch. 181, § 1; L. 1979, ch. 159, § 1; L. 1981, ch. 204, § 1; L. 1983, ch. 169, § 1; L. 1984, ch. 183, § 1; L. 1984, ch. 185, § 1; L. 1984, ch. 184, § 4; L. 1986, ch. 190, § 1; L. 1987, ch, 190, §1; L. 1987, ch. 191, § 1; L. 1988, ch. 170, § 1; L. 1988, ch. 171, § 1; L. 1989, ch. 150, § 1; L. 1990, ch. 186, § 2; L. 1990, ch. 187, § 1; L. 1990, ch. 188, § 1; L. 1992, ch. 74, § 1; L. 1994, ch. 49, § 1; L. 1995, ch. 50, § 1; L. 1996, ch. 232, § 2; L. 1997, ch. 174, § 1; L. 1998, ch. 124, § 1; L. 2001, ch. 139, § 1; L. 2002, ch. 84, § 1; L. 2003, ch. 96, § 6; L. 2004, ch. 105, § 6; L. 2004, ch. 179, § 53; L. 2005, ch. 138, § 1; L. 2007, ch. 16, § 1; L. 2007, ch. 195, § 27; July 1.
(b) Determined weekly benefit amount. An individual's determined weekly benefit amount shall be an amount equal to 4.25% of the individual's total wages for insured work paid during that calendar quarter of the individual's base period in which such total wages were highest, subject to the following limitations:
(1) If an individual's determined weekly benefit amount is less than the minimum weekly benefit amount, it shall be raised to such minimum weekly benefit amount;
(2) if the individual's determined weekly benefit amount is more than the maximum weekly benefit amount, it shall be reduced to the maximum weekly benefit amount; and
(3) if the individual's determined weekly benefit amount is not a multiple of $1, it shall be reduced to the next lower multiple of $1.
(c) Maximum weekly benefit amount. On July 1 of each year, the secretary shall determine the maximum weekly benefit amount by computing 60% of the average weekly wages paid to employees in insured work during the previous calendar year and shall prior to that date announce the maximum weekly benefit amount so determined, by publication in the Kansas register. Such computation shall be made by dividing the gross wages reported as paid for insured work during the previous calendar year by the product of the average of midmonth employment during such calendar year multiplied by 52. The maximum weekly benefit amount so determined and announced for the twelve-month period shall apply only to those claims filed in that period qualifying for maximum payment under the foregoing formula. All claims qualifying for payment at the maximum weekly benefit amount shall be paid at the maximum weekly benefit amount in effect when the benefit year to which the claim relates was first established, notwithstanding a change in the maximum benefit amount for a subsequent twelve-month period. If the computed maximum weekly benefit amount is not a multiple of $1, then the computed maximum weekly benefit amount shall be reduced to the next lower multiple of $1.
(d) Minimum weekly benefit amount. The minimum weekly benefit amount payable to any individual shall be 25% of the maximum weekly benefit calculated in accordance with subsection (c) and shall be announced by the secretary in conjunction with the published announcement of the maximum weekly benefit, also as provided in subsection (c). The minimum weekly benefit amount so determined and announced for the twelve-month period beginning July 1 of each year shall apply only to those claims which establish a benefit year filed within that twelve-month period and shall apply through the benefit year of such claims notwithstanding a change in such amount in a subsequent twelve-month period. If the minimum weekly benefit amount is not a multiple of $1 it shall be reduced to the next lower multiple of $1.
(e) Weekly benefit payable. Each eligible individual who is unemployed with respect to any week, except as to final payment, shall be paid with respect to such week a benefit in an amount equal to such individual's determined weekly benefit amount, less that part of the wage, if any, payable to such individual with respect to such week which is in excess of the amount which is equal to 25% of such individual's determined weekly benefit amount and if the resulting amount is not a multiple of $1, it shall be reduced to the next lower multiple of $1.
(1) For the purposes of this section, remuneration received under the following circumstances shall be construed as wages:
(A) Vacation pay that was attributable to a week that the individual claimed benefits while work was temporarily interrupted;
(B) holiday pay that was payable with no condition of attendance on other regularly scheduled day or days; and
(C) severance pay, if paid as scheduled, and all other employment benefits within the employer's control, as defined in subsection (e)(3), if continued as though the severance had not occurred, except as set out in subsection (e)(2)(D).
(2) For the purposes of this section, remuneration received under the following circumstances shall not be construed as wages:
(A) Remuneration received for services performed on a public assistance work project;
(B) vacation pay, except as set out in subsection (e)(1)(A) above;
(C) holiday pay that was not payable unless the individual complied with a condition of attendance on another regularly scheduled day or days;
(D) severance pay, in lieu of notice, under the provisions of public law 100-379, the federal worker adjustment and retraining notification act (29 U.S.C.A. 2101 through 2109);
(E) all other severance pay, separation pay, bonuses, wages in lieu of notice or remuneration of a similar nature that is payable after the severance of the employment relationship, except as set out in subsection (e)(1)(C); and
(F) moneys received as federal social security payments.
(3) For the purposes of this subsection (e), "employment benefits within the employer's control" means benefits offered by the employer to employees which are employee benefit plans as defined by section 3 of the federal employee retirement income security act of 1974, as amended, (29 U.S.C. 1002) and which the employer has the option to continue to provide to the employee after the last day that the employee worked for that employer.
(f) Duration of benefits. Any otherwise eligible individual shall be entitled during any benefit year to a total amount of benefits equal to whichever is the lesser of 26 times such individual's weekly benefit amount, or 1/3 of such individual's wages for insured work paid during such individual's base period. Such total amount of benefits, if not a multiple of $1, shall be reduced to the next lower multiple of $1.
(g) For the purposes of this section, wages shall be counted as "wages for insured work" for benefit purposes with respect to any benefit year only if such benefit year begins subsequent to the date on which the employing unit by whom such wages were paid has satisfied the conditions of subsection (h) of K.S.A. 44-703, and amendments thereto, with respect to becoming an employer.
History: L. 1937, ch. 255, § 4; L. 1939, ch. 214, § 2; L. 1941, ch. 264, § 2; L. 1945, ch. 220, § 2; L. 1947, ch. 291, § 2; L. 1949, ch. 288, § 3; L. 1951, ch. 307, § 2; L. 1955, ch. 251, § 2; L. 1957, ch. 295, § 1; L. 1959, ch. 223, § 1; L. 1970, ch. 191, § 2; L. 1971, ch. 180, § 2; L. 1972, ch. 192, § 1; L. 1973, ch. 205, § 2; L. 1976, ch. 226, § 2; L. 1976, ch. 370, § 57; L. 1977, ch. 181, § 2; L. 1979, ch. 160, § 2; L. 1983, ch. 169, § 2; L. 1984, ch. 183, § 2; L. 1985, ch. 176, § 1; L. 1986, ch. 191, § 1; L. 1991, ch. 145, § 1; L. 1993, ch. 251, § 1; L. 1994, ch. 171, § 1; L. 2003, ch. 96, § 1; L. 2004, ch. 179, § 54; July 1.
(1) "Extended benefit period" means a period which:
(A) Begins with the third week after a week for which there is an "on" indicator; and
(B) ends with either of the following weeks, whichever occurs later: (i) The third week after the first week for which there is an "off" indicator; or (ii) the 13th consecutive week of such period, except that no extended benefit period may begin by reason of an "on" indicator before the 14th week following the end of a prior extended benefit period which was in effect with respect to this state.
(2) For the purposes of this section:
(A) There is an "on" indicator for this state for a week if the secretary of labor determines, in accordance with the regulations of the United States secretary of labor, that, for the period consisting of such week and the immediately preceding 12 weeks, the rate of insured unemployment (not seasonally adjusted) under this act: (i) Equaled or exceeded 5% and equaled or exceeded 120% of the average of such rates for the corresponding 13-week period ending in each of the preceding two calendar years; or (ii) equaled or exceeded 6%; or (iii) with respect to benefits for weeks of unemployment beginning after March 6, 1993, (a) the average rate of total unemployment (seasonally adjusted), as determined by the United States secretary of labor, for the period consisting of the most recent three months for which data for all states are published before the close of such week equals or exceeds 6.5%, and (b) the average rate of total unemployment for this state (seasonally adjusted), as determined by the United States secretary of labor, for the three-month period referred to in clause (iii)(a), equals or exceeds 110% of such average for either or both of the corresponding three-month periods ending in the two preceding calendar years.
(B) (i) There is an "off" indicator for this state for a week if the secretary of labor determines, in accordance with the regulations of the United States secretary of labor, that for the period consisting of such week and the immediately preceding 12 weeks, the rate of insured unemployment (not seasonally adjusted) under this act: (a) Was less than 5% or less than 120% of the average of such rates for the corresponding 13-week period ending in each of the preceding two calendar years; and (b) was less than 5%.
(ii) There is an "off" indicator for this state for a week only if, for the period consisting of such week and the immediately preceding 12 weeks, none of the conditions specified in subsection (a)(2)(A) of this section result in an "on" indicator.
(3) "Rate of insured unemployment," for purposes of paragraphs (2)(A) and (2)(B) of this subsection, means the percentage derived by dividing:
(A) The average weekly number of individuals filing claims for regular benefits in this state for weeks of unemployment with respect to the most recent 13-consecutive-week period, as determined by the secretary of labor on the basis of reports to the United States secretary of labor; by
(B) the average monthly employment covered under this act for the first four of the most recent six completed calendar quarters ending before the end of such 13-week period.
(4) "Extended entitlement period" of an individual means the period consisting of the weeks of the individual's benefit year which begin in an extended benefit period and, if the individual's benefit year ends within such extended benefit period, any weeks thereafter which begin in such period.
(5) "Extended benefits" means benefits (including benefits payable to federal civilian employees and to ex-service personnel pursuant to 5 U.S.C.A. chapter 85) payable to an individual under the provisions of the act for weeks of unemployment in the individual's extended entitlement period.
(6) "Exhaustee" means an individual who, with respect to any week of unemployment in the individual's extended entitlement period:
(A) Has received, prior to such week, all of the regular benefits that were available to the individual under this act or any other state law (including dependents' allowances and benefits payable to federal civilian employees and ex-service personnel under 5 U.S.C.A. chapter 85) in the individual's current benefit year that includes such week, provided that, for the purposes of this paragraph (6)(A), an individual shall be deemed to have received all of the regular benefits that were available to the individual although the individual may subsequently be determined to be entitled to added regular benefits as a result of a pending appeal with respect to wages that were not considered in the original monetary determination of the individual's benefit year; or
(B) the individual's benefit year having expired prior to such week, has no, or insufficient, wages on the basis of which the individual could establish a new benefit year that would include such week; and
(C) (i) has no right to unemployment benefits or allowances, as the case may be, under the federal railroad unemployment insurance act and such other federal laws as are specified in regulations issued by the United States secretary of labor; and (ii) has not received and is not seeking unemployment benefits under the unemployment compensation law of Canada; but if the individual is seeking such benefits and the appropriate agency finally determines that the individual is not entitled to benefits under such law the individual is considered an exhaustee.
(7) "State law" means the unemployment compensation law of any state, approved by the United States secretary of labor under section 3304 of the federal internal revenue code of 1986.
(b) Payment of extended benefits. Extended benefits shall be payable to eligible individuals with respect to weeks of unemployment in their extended entitlement periods. The extended benefits provided by this section and K.S.A. 44-704b, and amendments thereto, shall be payable from the fund. All extended benefits shall be paid through the employment offices, in accordance with such rules and regulations as the secretary of labor may adopt.
(c) Beginning and termination of extended benefit period. (1) Whenever an extended benefit period is to become effective in this state as a result of an "on" indicator, or an extended benefit period is to be terminated in this state as a result of an "off" indicator, the secretary of labor shall make an appropriate public announcement.
(2) Computations required by the provisions of subsection (a)(3) of this section shall be made by the secretary of labor, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the United States secretary of labor.
(d) Weekly extended benefit amount. The weekly extended benefit amount payable to an individual for a week of total unemployment in the individual's extended entitlement period shall be an amount equal to the regular weekly benefit amount payable to the individual during the individual's applicable benefit year, except that for any week during a period in which federal payments to states under section 204 of the federal-state extended unemployment compensation act of 1970 are reduced pursuant to an order issued under section 252 of the federal balanced budget and emergency deficit control act of 1985, the weekly extended benefit amount payable to an individual for a week of total unemployment in the individual's eligibility period shall be reduced by a percentage amount which is equivalent to the reduction in the federal payment. If such reduced weekly extended benefit amount is not a multiple of $1, it shall be reduced to the next lower multiple of $1.
(e) Total extended benefit amount. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (e)(2) or (e)(3) of this section, the total extended benefit amount payable to any eligible individual with respect to the individual's applicable benefit year shall be the least of the following amounts:
(A) Fifty percent of the total amount of regular benefits which were payable to the individual under this act in the individual's applicable benefit year; or
(B) thirteen times the individual's weekly benefit amount which was payable to the individual under this act for a week of total unemployment in the applicable benefit year.
(2) Effective with respect to weeks beginning in a high unemployment period, the provisions of subsection (e)(1) of this section shall be applied by substituting "80%" for "50%" in subparagraph (A) of that subsection (e)(1), and by substituting "20" for "13" in subparagraph (B) of that subsection (e)(1). For purposes of this subsection (e)(2), the term "high unemployment period" means any period during which an extended benefit period would be in effect if the provisions of subsection (a)(2)(A)(iii) of this section were applied after substituting "8%" for "6.5%" in clause (a) of that subsection (a)(2)(A)(iii).
(3) During any fiscal year in which federal payments to states under section 204 of the federal-state extended unemployment compensation act of 1970 are reduced pursuant to an order issued under section 252 of the federal balanced budget and emergency deficit control act of 1985, the total extended benefit amount payable to an individual with respect to the individual's applicable benefit year shall be reduced by an amount equal to the total of all of the reductions under subsection (d) of this section in the weekly extended benefit amounts paid to the individual.
(f) Eligibility requirements for extended benefits. An individual shall be eligible to receive extended benefits with respect to any week of unemployment in the individual's extended entitlement period only if the secretary of labor, or a person or persons designated by the secretary, finds that with respect to such week:
(1) The individual is an "exhaustee" as defined in subsection (a)(6) of this section;
(2) the individual is qualified and eligible for extended benefits pursuant to K.S.A. 44-704b and amendments thereto;
(3) the individual is entitled to benefits pursuant to the provisions of this act which apply to claims for, or the payment of regular benefits which are not inconsistent with the provisions of K.S.A. 44-704b and amendments thereto; and
(4) the individual, during the base period, (A) was paid wages for insured work equal to or greater than 1 1/2 times the amount of total wages paid for the quarter in which such wages were highest during the individual's base period; or (B) has been paid an amount equal to or exceeding 40 times the individual's most recent weekly benefit amount in the individual's base period.
(g) Limitation on amount of combined regular, extended and trade readjustment act benefits received. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section or K.S.A. 44-704b, and amendments thereto, if the benefit year of any individual ends within an extended entitlement period, the remaining balance of extended benefits that the individual would, but for this section, be entitled to receive in that extended entitlement period, with respect to weeks of unemployment beginning after the end of the benefit year, shall be reduced (but not below zero) by the product of the number of weeks for which the individual received any amounts as trade readjustment allowances within that benefit year, multiplied by the individual's weekly benefit amount for extended benefits.
History: L. 1971, ch. 180, § 10; L. 1973, ch. 205, § 3; L. 1976, ch. 370, § 58; L. 1977, ch. 182, § 1; L. 1981, ch. 204, § 2; L. 1982, ch. 214, § 1; L. 1987, ch. 191, § 2; L. 1989, ch. 150, § 2; L. 1993, ch. 251, § 2; L. 2004, ch. 179, § 55; July 1.
(1) Except as provided in subsection (a)(2), an individual shall not be eligible for extended benefits for any week if:
(A) Extended benefits are payable for such week pursuant to an interstate claim filed in any state under the interstate benefit payment plan; and
(B) no extended benefit period is in effect for such week in the state where the claim for extended benefits was filed.
(2) Subsection (a)(1) shall not apply with respect to the first two weeks for which extended benefits are payable, determined without regard to this subsection, pursuant to an interstate claim filed under the interstate benefit payment plan to the individual from the extended benefit account established for the individual with respect to the benefit year.
(b) Disqualification conditions. (1) An individual shall be disqualified for payment of extended benefits for any week of unemployment in the individual's extended entitlement period and until the individual has been employed in each of four subsequent weeks, whether or not consecutive, and has had earnings of at least four times the weekly extended benefit amount if the secretary of labor finds that during such period:
(A) The individual failed to accept any offer of suitable work, as defined under subsection (b)(2), or failed to apply for any suitable work as defined in subsection (b)(2) to which the individual was referred by the secretary of labor; or
(B) the individual failed to actively engage in seeking work as prescribed under subsection (b)(4).
(2) For purposes of this subsection (b), the term "suitable work" means, with respect to any individual, any work which is within such individual's capabilities, provided, however, that the gross average weekly remuneration payable for the work must exceed the sum of:
(A) The individual's weekly extended benefit amount, plus the amount, if any, of supplemental unemployment benefits, as defined in section 501(c)(17)(D) of the internal revenue code of 1954, payable to such individual for such week; and further,
(B) pays wages not less than the higher of:
(i) The minimum wage provided by section 6(a)(1) of the fair labor standards act of 1938, without regard to any exemption; or
(ii) the applicable state or local minimum wage;
(C) except that no individual shall be denied extended benefits for failure to accept an offer of or apply for any job which meets the definition of suitability as described above if:
(i) The position was not offered to such individual in writing by an employing unit or was not listed with the employment service; or
(ii) such failure could not result in a denial of benefits under the definition of suitable work for regular benefit claimants in subsection (c) of K.S.A. 44-706, and amendments thereto, to the extent that the criteria of suitability in that section are not inconsistent with the provisions of this subsection (b)(2); or
(iii) the individual furnishes satisfactory evidence to the secretary of labor that the individual's prospects for obtaining work in the individual's customary occupation within a reasonably short period are good. If such evidence is deemed satisfactory for this purpose, the determination of whether any work is suitable with respect to such individual shall be made in accordance with the definition of suitable work for regular benefit claimants in subsection (c) of K.S.A. 44-706, and amendments thereto, without regard to the definition specified by this subsection (b)(2).
(3) No work shall be determined suitable work for an individual which does not accord with the labor standard provisions required by section 3304(a)(5) of the internal revenue code of 1954. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this act, an otherwise eligible individual shall not be disqualified for refusing an offer of suitable employment, or failing to apply for suitable employment when notified by an employment office, or for leaving such individual's most recent work accepted during approved training, if the acceptance of or applying for suitable employment or continuing such work would require the individual to terminate approved training and no work shall be deemed suitable and benefits shall not be denied under this act to any otherwise eligible individual for refusing to accept new work under any of the following conditions:
(A) If the position offered is vacant due directly to a strike, lockout or other labor dispute;
(B) if the remuneration, hours or other conditions of the work offered are substantially less favorable to the individual than those prevailing for similar work in the locality; or
(C) if as a condition of being employed, the individual would be required to join or to resign from or refrain from joining any labor organization.
(4) For the purposes of subsection (b)(1)(B), an individual shall be treated as actively engaged in seeking work during any week if:
(A) The individual has engaged in a systematic and sustained effort to obtain work during such week; and
(B) the individual furnishes tangible evidence that the individual has engaged in such effort during such week.
(5) The employment service shall refer any individual entitled to extended benefits under this act to any suitable work which meets the criteria prescribed in subsection (b)(2).
History: L. 1981, ch. 204, § 3; L. 1982, ch. 214, § 2; L. 1987, ch. 191, § 3; L. 1993, ch. 251, § 3; L. 2003, ch. 158, § 5; L. 2004, ch. 105. § 1; L. 2004, ch. 179, § 56; July 1.
History: L. 2003, ch. 96, § 5; July 1.
(a) The claimant has registered for work at and thereafter continued to report at an employment office in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the secretary, except that, subject to the provisions of subsection (a) of K.S.A. 44-704 and amendments thereto, the secretary may adopt rules and regulations which waive or alter either or both of the requirements of this subsection (a).
(b) The claimant has made a claim for benefits with respect to such week in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the secretary.
(c) The claimant is able to perform the duties of such claimant's customary occupation or the duties of other occupations for which the claimant is reasonably fitted by training or experience, and is available for work, as demonstrated by the claimant's pursuit of the full course of action most reasonably calculated to result in the claimant's reemployment except that, notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, an unemployed claimant otherwise eligible for benefits shall not become ineligible for benefits because of the claimant's enrollment in and satisfactory pursuit of approved training, including training approved under section 236(a)(1) of the trade act of 1974.
For the purposes of this subsection, an inmate of a custodial or correctional institution shall be deemed to be unavailable for work and not eligible to receive unemployment compensation while incarcerated.
(d) (1) Except as provided further, the claimant has been unemployed for a waiting period of one week or the claimant is unemployed and has satisfied the requirement for a waiting period of one week under the shared work unemployment compensation program as provided in subsection (k)(4) of K.S.A. 44-757 and amendments thereto, which period of one week, in either case, occurs within the benefit year which includes the week for which the claimant is claiming benefits. No week shall be counted as a week of unemployment for the purposes of this subsection (d):
(A) If benefits have been paid for such week;
(B) if the individual fails to meet with the other eligibility requirements of this section; or
(C) if an individual is seeking unemployment benefits under the unemployment compensation law of any other state or of the United States, except that if the appropriate agency of such state or of the United States finally determines that the claimant is not entitled to unemployment benefits under such other law, this subsection (d)(1)(C) shall not apply.
(2) The waiting week requirement of paragraph (1) shall not apply to new claims, filed on or after July 1, 2007, by claimants who become unemployed as a result of an employer terminating business operations within this state, declaring bankruptcy or initiating a work force reduction pursuant to public law 100-379, the federal worker adjustment and retraining notification act (29 U.S.C. 2101 through 2109), as amended. The secretary shall adopt rules and regulations to administer the provisions of this paragraph.
(3) A claimant shall become eligible to receive compensation for the waiting period of one week, pursuant to paragraph (1), upon completion of three weeks of unemployment consecutive to such waiting period.
(e) For benefit years established on and after the effective date of this act, the claimant has been paid total wages for insured work in the claimant's base period of not less than 30 times the claimant's weekly benefit amount and has been paid wages in more than one quarter of the claimant's base period, except that the wage credits of an individual earned during the period commencing with the end of a prior base period and ending on the date on which such individual filed a valid initial claim shall not be available for benefit purposes in a subsequent benefit year unless, in addition thereto, such individual has returned to work and subsequently earned wages for insured work in an amount equal to at least eight times the claimant's current weekly benefit amount.
(f) The claimant participates in reemployment services, such as job search assistance services, if the individual has been determined to be likely to exhaust regular benefits and needs reemployment services pursuant to a profiling system established by the secretary, unless the secretary determines that: (1) The individual has completed such services; or (2) there is justifiable cause for the claimant's failure to participate in such services.
(g) The claimant is returning to work after a qualifying injury and has been paid total wages for insured work in the claimant's alternative base period of not less than 30 times the claimant's weekly benefit amount and has been paid wages in more than one quarter of the claimant's alternative base period if:
(1) The claimant has filed for benefits within four weeks of being released to return to work by a licensed and practicing health care provider.
(2) The claimant files for benefits within 24 months of the date the qualifying injury occurred.
(3) The claimant attempted to return to work with the employer where the qualifying injury occurred, but the individual's regular work or comparable and suitable work was not available.
History: L. 1937, ch. 255, § 5; L. 1941, ch. 264, § 3; L. 1943, ch. 190, § 2; L. 1945, ch. 220, § 3; L. 1949, ch. 288, § 4; L. 1955, ch. 251, § 3; L. 1959, ch. 223, § 2; L. 1961, ch. 245, § 1; L. 1970, ch. 191, § 3; L. 1971, ch. 180, § 3; L. 1971, ch. 181, § 1; L. 1973, ch. 205, § 4; L. 1976, ch. 226, § 3; L. 1976, ch. 370, § 59; L. 1977, ch. 181, § 3; L. 1979, ch. 159, § 2; L. 1982, ch. 214, § 3; L. 1988, ch. 172, § 2; L. 1995, ch. 51, § 1; L. 1998, ch. 124, § 2; L. 2002, ch. 84, § 2; L. 2007, ch. 16, § 2; July 1.
(a) If the individual left work voluntarily without good cause attributable to the work or the employer, subject to the other provisions of this subsection (a). Failure to return to work after expiration of approved personal or medical leave, or both, shall be considered a voluntary resignation. After a temporary job assignment, failure of an individual to affirmatively request an additional assignment on the next succeeding workday, if required by the employment agreement, after completion of a given work assignment, shall constitute leaving work voluntarily. The disqualification shall begin the day following the separation and shall continue until after the individual has become reemployed and has had earnings from insured work of at least three times the individual's weekly benefit amount. An individual shall not be disqualified under this subsection (a) if:
(1) The individual was forced to leave work because of illness or injury upon the advice of a licensed and practicing health care provider and, upon learning of the necessity for absence, immediately notified the employer thereof, or the employer consented to the absence, and after recovery from the illness or injury, when recovery was certified by a practicing health care provider, the individual returned to the employer and offered to perform services and the individual's regular work or comparable and suitable work was not available; as used in this paragraph (1) "health care provider" means any person licensed by the proper licensing authority of any state to engage in the practice of medicine and surgery, osteopathy, chiropractic, dentistry, optometry, podiatry or psychology;
(2) the individual left temporary work to return to the regular employer;
(3) the individual left work to enlist in the armed forces of the United States, but was rejected or delayed from entry;
(4) the individual left work because of the voluntary or involuntary transfer of the individual's spouse from one job to another job, which is for the same employer or for a different employer, at a geographic location which makes it unreasonable for the individual to continue work at the individual's job;
(5) the individual left work because of hazardous working conditions; in determining whether or not working conditions are hazardous for an individual, the degree of risk involved to the individual's health, safety and morals, the individual's physical fitness and prior training and the working conditions of workers engaged in the same or similar work for the same and other employers in the locality shall be considered; as used in this paragraph (5), "hazardous working conditions" means working conditions that could result in a danger to the physical or mental well-being of the individual; each determination as to whether hazardous working conditions exist shall include, but shall not be limited to, a consideration of (A) the safety measures used or the lack thereof, and (B) the condition of equipment or lack of proper equipment; no work shall be considered hazardous if the working conditions surrounding the individual's work are the same or substantially the same as the working conditions generally prevailing among individuals performing the same or similar work for other employers engaged in the same or similar type of activity;
(6) the individual left work to enter training approved under section 236(a)(1) of the federal trade act of 1974, provided the work left is not of a substantially equal or higher skill level than the individual's past adversely affected employment (as defined for purposes of the federal trade act of 1974), and wages for such work are not less than 80% of the individual's average weekly wage as determined for the purposes of the federal trade act of 1974;
(7) the individual left work because of unwelcome harassment of the individual by the employer or another employee of which the employing unit had knowledge;
(8) the individual left work to accept better work; each determination as to whether or not the work accepted is better work shall include, but shall not be limited to, consideration of (A) the rate of pay, the hours of work and the probable permanency of the work left as compared to the work accepted, (B) the cost to the individual of getting to the work left in comparison to the cost of getting to the work accepted, and (C) the distance from the individual's place of residence to the work accepted in comparison to the distance from the individual's residence to the work left;
(9) the individual left work as a result of being instructed or requested by the employer, a supervisor or a fellow employee to perform a service or commit an act in the scope of official job duties which is in violation of an ordinance or statute;
(10) the individual left work because of a violation of the work agreement by the employing unit and, before the individual left, the individual had exhausted all remedies provided in such agreement for the settlement of disputes before terminating;
(11) after making reasonable efforts to preserve the work, the individual left work due to a personal emergency of such nature and compelling urgency that it would be contrary to good conscience to impose a disqualification; or
(12) (A) the individual left work due to circumstances resulting from domestic violence, including:
(i) The individual's reasonable fear of future domestic violence at or en route to or from the individual's place of employment; or
(ii) the individual's need to relocate to another geographic area in order to avoid future domestic violence; or
(iii) the individual's need to address the physical, psychological and legal impacts of domestic violence; or
(iv) the individual's need to leave employment as a condition of receiving services or shelter from an agency which provides support services or shelter to victims of domestic violence; or
(v) the individual's reasonable belief that termination of employment is necessary to avoid other situations which may cause domestic violence and to provide for the future safety of the individual or the individual's family.
(B) An individual may prove the existence of domestic violence by providing one of the following:
(i) A restraining order or other documentation of equitable relief by a court of competent jurisdiction; or
(ii) a police record documenting the abuse; or
(iii) documentation that the abuser has been convicted of one or more of the offenses enumerated in articles 34 and 35 of chapter 21 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto, where the victim was a family or household member; or
(iv) medical documentation of the abuse; or
(v) a statement provided by a counselor, social worker, health care provider, clergy, shelter worker, legal advocate, domestic violence or sexual assault advocate or other professional who has assisted the individual in dealing with the effects of abuse on the individual or the individual's family; or
(vi) a sworn statement from the individual attesting to the abuse.
(C) No evidence of domestic violence experienced by an individual, including the individual's statement and corroborating evidence, shall be disclosed by the department of labor unless consent for disclosure is given by the individual.
(b) If the individual has been discharged for misconduct connected with the individual's work. The disqualification shall begin the day following the separation and shall continue until after the individual becomes reemployed and has had earnings from insured work of at least three times the individual's determined weekly benefit amount, except that if an individual is discharged for gross misconduct connected with the individual's work, such individual shall be disqualified for benefits until such individual again becomes employed and has had earnings from insured work of at least eight times such individual's determined weekly benefit amount. In addition, all wage credits attributable to the employment from which the individual was discharged for gross misconduct connected with the individual's work shall be canceled. No such cancellation of wage credits shall affect prior payments made as a result of a prior separation.
(1) For the purposes of this subsection (b), "misconduct" is defined as a violation of a duty or obligation reasonably owed the employer as a condition of employment. The term "gross misconduct" as used in this subsection (b) shall be construed to mean conduct evincing extreme, willful or wanton misconduct as defined by this subsection (b). Failure of the employee to notify the employer of an absence shall be considered prima facie evidence of a violation of a duty or obligation reasonably owed the employer as a condition of employment.
(2) For the purposes of this subsection (b), the use of or impairment caused by alcoholic liquor, a cereal malt beverage or a nonprescribed controlled substance by an individual while working shall be conclusive evidence of misconduct and the possession of alcoholic liquor, a cereal malt beverage or a nonprescribed controlled substance by an individual while working shall be prima facie evidence of conduct which is a violation of a duty or obligation reasonably owed to the employer as a condition of employment. Alcoholic liquor shall be defined as provided in K.S.A. 41-102 and amendments thereto. Cereal malt beverage shall be defined as provided in K.S.A. 41-2701 and amendments thereto. Controlled substance shall be defined as provided in K.S.A. 65-4101 and amendments thereto of the uniform controlled substances act. As used in this subsection (b)(2), "required by law" means required by a federal or state law, a federal or state rule or regulation having the force and effect of law, a county resolution or municipal ordinance, or a policy relating to public safety adopted in open meeting by the governing body of any special district or other local governmental entity. Chemical test shall include, but is not limited to, tests of urine, blood or saliva. A positive chemical test shall mean a chemical result showing a concentration at or above the levels listed in K.S.A. 44-501, and amendments thereto, for the drugs or abuse listed therein. A positive breath test shall mean a test result showing an alcohol concentration of .04 or greater. Alcohol concentration means the number of grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath. An individual's refusal to submit to a chemical test or breath alcohol test shall be conclusive evidence of misconduct if the test meets the standards of the drug free workplace act, 41 U.S.C. 701 et seq.; the test was administered as part of an employee assistance program or other drug or alcohol treatment program in which the employee was participating voluntarily or as a condition of further employment; the test was otherwise required by law and the test constituted a required condition of employment for the individual's job; the test was requested pursuant to a written policy of the employer of which the employee had knowledge and was a required condition of employment; or there was probable cause to believe that the individual used, possessed or was impaired by alcoholic liquor, a cereal malt beverage or a controlled substance while working. A positive breath alcohol test or a positive chemical test shall be conclusive evidence to prove misconduct if the following conditions are met:
(A) Either (i) the test was required by law and was administered pursuant to the drug free workplace act, 41 U.S.C. 701 et seq., (ii) the test was administered as part of an employee assistance program or other drug or alcohol treatment program in which the employee was participating voluntarily or as a condition of further employment, (iii) the test was requested pursuant to a written policy of the employer of which the employee had knowledge and was a required condition of employment, (iv) the test was required by law and the test constituted a required condition of employment for the individual's job, or (v) there was probable cause to believe that the individual used, had possession of, or was impaired by alcoholic liquor, the cereal malt beverage or the controlled substance while working;
(B) the test sample was collected either (i) as prescribed by the drug free workplace act, 41 U.S.C. 701 et seq., (ii) as prescribed by an employee assistance program or other drug or alcohol treatment program in which the employee was participating voluntarily or as a condition of further employment, (iii) as prescribed by the written policy of the employer of which the employee had knowledge and which constituted a required condition of employment, (iv) as prescribed by a test which was required by law and which constituted a required condition of employment for the individual's job, or (v) at a time contemporaneous with the events establishing probable cause;
(C) the collecting and labeling of a chemical test sample was performed by a licensed health care professional or any other individual certified pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(F) or authorized to collect or label test samples by federal or state law, or a federal or state rule or regulation having the force or effect of law, including law enforcement personnel;
(D) the chemical test was performed by a laboratory approved by the United States department of health and human services or licensed by the department of health and environment, except that a blood sample may be tested for alcohol content by a laboratory commonly used for that purpose by state law enforcement agencies;
(E) the chemical test was confirmed by gas chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy or other comparably reliable analytical method, except that no such confirmation is required for a blood alcohol sample or a breath alcohol test;
(F) the breath alcohol test was administered by an individual trained to perform breath tests, the breath testing instrument used was certified and operated strictly according to description provided by the manufacturers and the reliability of the instrument performance was assured by testing with alcohol standards; and
(G) the foundation evidence must establish, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the test results were from the sample taken from the individual.
(3) (A) For the purposes of this subsection (b), misconduct shall include, but not be limited to repeated absence, including incarceration, resulting in absence from work of three days or longer, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, and lateness, from scheduled work if the facts show:
(i) The individual was absent without good cause;
(ii) the absence was in violation of the employer's written absenteeism policy;
(iii) the employer gave or sent written notice to the individual, at the individual's last known address, that future absence may or will result in discharge; and
(iv) the employee had knowledge of the employer's written absenteeism policy.
(B) For the purposes of this subsection (b), if an employee disputes being absent without good cause, the employee shall present evidence that a majority of the employee's absences were for good cause. If the employee alleges that the employee's repeated absences were the result of health related issues, such evidence shall include documentation from a licensed and practicing health care provider as defined in subsection (a)(1).
(4) An individual shall not be disqualified under this subsection if the individual is discharged under the following circumstances:
(A) The employer discharged the individual after learning the individual was seeking other work or when the individual gave notice of future intent to quit;
(B) the individual was making a good-faith effort to do the assigned work but was discharged due to: (i) Inefficiency, (ii) unsatisfactory performance due to inability, incapacity or lack of training or experience, (iii) isolated instances of ordinary negligence or inadvertence, (iv) good-faith errors in judgment or discretion, or (v) unsatisfactory work or conduct due to circumstances beyond the individual's control; or
(C) the individual's refusal to perform work in excess of the contract of hire.
(c) If the individual has failed, without good cause, to either apply for suitable work when so directed by the employment office of the secretary of labor, or to accept suitable work when offered to the individual by the employment office, the secretary of labor, or an employer, such disqualification shall begin with the week in which such failure occurred and shall continue until the individual becomes reemployed and has had earnings from insured work of at least three times such individual's determined weekly benefit amount. In determining whether or not any work is suitable for an individual, the secretary of labor, or a person or persons designated by the secretary, shall consider the degree of risk involved to health, safety and morals, physical fitness and prior training, experience and prior earnings, length of unemployment and prospects for securing local work in the individual's customary occupation or work for which the individual is reasonably fitted by training or experience, and the distance of the available work from the individual's residence. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this act, an otherwise eligible individual shall not be disqualified for refusing an offer of suitable employment, or failing to apply for suitable employment when notified by an employment office, or for leaving the individual's most recent work accepted during approved training, including training approved under section 236(a)(1) of the trade act of 1974, if the acceptance of or applying for suitable employment or continuing such work would require the individual to terminate approved training and no work shall be deemed suitable and benefits shall not be denied under this act to any otherwise eligible individual for refusing to accept new work under any of the following conditions: (1) If the position offered is vacant due directly to a strike, lockout or other labor dispute; (2) if the remuneration, hours or other conditions of the work offered are substantially less favorable to the individual than those prevailing for similar work in the locality; (3) if as a condition of being employed, the individual would be required to join or to resign from or refrain from joining any labor organization; (4) if the individual left employment as a result of domestic violence, and the position offered does not reasonably accommodate the individual's physical, psychological, safety, and/or legal needs relating to such domestic violence.
(d) For any week with respect to which the secretary of labor, or a person or persons designated by the secretary, finds that the individual's unemployment is due to a stoppage of work which exists because of a labor dispute or there would have been a work stoppage had normal operations not been maintained with other personnel previously and currently employed by the same employer at the factory, establishment or other premises at which the individual is or was last employed, except that this subsection (d) shall not apply if it is shown to the satisfaction of the secretary of labor, or a person or persons designated by the secretary, that: (1) The individual is not participating in or financing or directly interested in the labor dispute which caused the stoppage of work; and (2) the individual does not belong to a grade or class of workers of which, immediately before the commencement of the stoppage, there were members employed at the premises at which the stoppage occurs any of whom are participating in or financing or directly interested in the dispute. If in any case separate branches of work which are commonly conducted as separate businesses in separate premises are conducted in separate departments of the same premises, each such department shall, for the purpose of this subsection (d) be deemed to be a separate factory, establishment or other premises. For the purposes of this subsection (d), failure or refusal to cross a picket line or refusal for any reason during the continuance of such labor dispute to accept the individual's available and customary work at the factory, establishment or other premises where the individual is or was last employed shall be considered as participation and interest in the labor dispute.
(e) For any week with respect to which or a part of which the individual has received or is seeking unemployment benefits under the unemployment compensation law of any other state or of the United States, except that if the appropriate agency of such other state or the United States finally determines that the individual is not entitled to such unemployment benefits, this disqualification shall not apply.
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