WSR 14-13-012

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

[Filed June 6, 2014, 9:50 a.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 192-120-030, 192-120-035, 192-130-050, 192-130-080, 192-150-215, 192-220-010, 192-220-080, 192-270-035, 192-300-170, 192-300-210, 192-310-010, 192-310-020, 192-320-065, and 192-350-060.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 50.12.010, 50.12.040, and 52.22.155(3).

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The listed rules contain language requiring unemployment claimants and employers to respond to requests for information from the department within specified timelines. The proposed amendments will clarify that the responses must be received by, rather than postmarked by, the date specified in the department's notice. This will provide more consistency and clarity to all parties, and prepare the department for dramatically reduced funding levels. Using the postmark date is more costly because it is labor intensive requiring that envelopes be retained and scanned into our imaging system rather than scanning the document only.

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

Process for Developing New Rule: The proposed rules will be shared with stakeholders identified in the rule-making process. We will solicit input from stakeholders and consider all comments in the development of the final rules.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Juanita Myers, Unemployment Insurance Rules Manager, Employment Security Department, P.O. Box 9046, Olympia, WA 98507-9046, fax (360) 902-9200, e-mail jmyers@esd.wa.gov. Please include your name, organization (if any), mailing address, e-mail address and telephone number.

June 4, 2014

Nan Thomas

Deputy Commissioner