Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 50.12.010 Commissioner's duties and powers, 50.12.040 Rule-making authority and 50.20.010(1) Benefit eligibility conditions.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Chapter 50.20 RCW was amended by the 1998 legislature to ensure that unemployment insurance claimants are registered for job search in an electronic labor exchange that supports direct employer access for selecting job applicants. Definitions are required to clarify terminology such as what constitutes registration, exemptions to registration, penalties for failure to comply with registration, the time period for registration, the scope of employer access, and what information is provided in an electronic labor exchange.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The United States Department of Labor reviews the state's administration of the unemployment insurance program to ensure conformity to federal statutes and regulations. The state has broad flexibility in the implementation of unemployment insurance laws as long as conformity is maintained. The proposed regulations will be shared with USDOL Region X staff prior to adoption.

Process for Developing New Rule: The department will conduct informal public meeting[s] with interested individuals and stakeholders to gather their input and comments during the development of these regulations.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Juanita Myers, Program Coordinator, UI Policy Unit, Employment Security Department, 212 Maple Park, Olympia, WA 98507-9046, phone (360) 902-9665, FAX (360) 902-9799, e-mail jmyers@wln.com. Individuals wishing to attend public meetings to provide input or participate in any discussions should contact the following individual to placed on a mailing list to receive notification of the date, time and place of these meetings.

June 17, 1998

Carver Gayton

Commissioner