WSR 23-12-017

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

EMPLOYMENT SECURITY DEPARTMENT

[Filed May 25, 2023, 2:38 p.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: Expanding good cause for voluntarily quitting employment.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 50.12.010 and 50.12.040 provide general rule-making authority to the employment security department (department). The department has authority to adopt rules to implement HB [ESHB] 1106 (2023), which amended RCW 50.20.050 and 50.29.021.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: This rule making is needed to incorporate the changes made by HB [ESHB] 1106 into the department's rules, which expanded the good cause reasons for voluntarily quitting employment set forth in RCW 50.20.050 and updates the employer charging requirements set forth in RCW 50.29.021.

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 program to ensure conformity to federal statutes and regulations. The state has broad flexibility in the implementation of the unemployment insurance laws so long as conformity is maintained. The proposed regulations will be shared with USDOL prior to adoption.

Process for Developing New Rule: Permanent rule making.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Josh Dye, P.O. Box 9046, phone 360-890-3472, fax 844-652-7096, TTY relay 711, email Rules@esd.wa.gov, website https://esd.wa.gov/newsroom/rulemaking/.

May 25, 2023

Dan Zeitlin

Employment Security Policy Director