AN ACT Relating to unemployment compensation during labor disputes; amending RCW 50.20.090 and 50.29.020; creating new sections; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. Section 77, chapter 35, Laws of 1945 as last amended by section 1, chapter 83, Laws of 1988 and RCW 50.20.090 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) An individual shall be disqualified for benefits for any week with respect to which the commissioner finds that the individual's unemployment is((:

~~(a)~~)) due to a strike at the factory, establishment, or other premises at which the individual is or was last employed((~~; or~~

(b) Due to a lockout by his or her employer who is a member of a multi-employer bargaining unit and who has locked out the employees at the factory, establishment, or other premises at which the individual is or was last employed after one member of the multi-employer bargaining unit has been struck by its employees as a result of the multi-employer bargaining process)).

(2) Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply if it is shown to the satisfaction of the commissioner that:

(a) The individual is not participating in or financing or directly interested in the strike ((~~or lockout~~)) that caused the individual's unemployment; and

(b) The individual does not belong to a grade or class of workers of which, immediately before the commencement of the strike ((~~or lockout~~)), there were members employed at the premises at which the strike ((~~or lockout~~)) occurs, any of whom are participating in or financing or directly interested in the strike ((~~or lockout~~)): PROVIDED, That 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 subdivision, be deemed to be a separate factory, establishment, or other premises.

(3) Any disqualification imposed under this section shall end when the strike ((~~or lockout~~)) is terminated.

Sec. 2. Section 1, chapter 27, Laws of 1988 and RCW 50.29.020 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) An experience rating account shall be established and maintained for each employer, except employers as described in RCW 50.44.010 and 50.44.030 who have properly elected to make payments in lieu of contributions, taxable local government employers as described in RCW 50.44.035, and those employers who are required to make payments in lieu of contributions, based on existing records of the employment security department. Benefits paid to any eligible individuals shall be charged to the experience rating accounts of each of such individual's employers during the individual's base year in the same ratio that the wages paid by each employer to the individual during the base year bear to the wages paid by all employers to that individual during that base year, except as otherwise provided in this section.

(2) The legislature finds that certain benefit payments, in whole or in part, should not be charged to the experience rating accounts of employers except those employers described in RCW 50.44.010 and 50.44.030 who have properly elected to make payments in lieu of contributions, taxable local government employers described in RCW 50.44.035, and those employers who are required to make payments in lieu of contributions, as follows:

(a) Benefits paid to any individuals later determined to be ineligible shall not be charged to the experience rating account of any contribution paying employer.

(b) Benefits paid to an individual under the provisions of RCW 50.12.050 shall not be charged to the account of any contribution paying employer if the wage credits earned in this state by the individual during his or her base year are less than the minimum amount necessary to qualify the individual for unemployment benefits.

(c) Benefits paid to an individual filing under the provisions of chapter 50.06 RCW shall not be charged to the experience rating account of any contribution paying employer.

(d) Benefits paid which represent the state's share of benefits payable under chapter 50.22 RCW shall not be charged to the experience rating account of any contribution paying employer.

(e) In the case of individuals who requalify for benefits under RCW 50.20.050 or 50.20.060, benefits based on wage credits earned prior to the disqualifying separation shall not be charged to the experience rating account of the contribution paying employer from whom that separation took place.

(f)(((i) Benefits paid to an individual as the result of a determination by the commissioner that no stoppage of work exists, pursuant to RCW 50.20.090, shall not be charged to the experience rating account of any contribution paying employer.

~~(ii) Benefits paid to an individual under RCW 50.20.090(1) for weeks of unemployment ending before February 20, 1987,~~)) Benefits paid to an individual as a result of the chapter ..., Laws of 1990 (section 1 of this act) amendment to RCW 50.20.090(1) for weeks of unemployment ending before the effective date of this act shall not be charged to the experience rating account of any base year employer.

(g) In the case of individuals identified under RCW 50.20.015, benefits paid with respect to a calendar quarter, which exceed the total amount of wages earned in the state of Washington in the higher of two corresponding calendar quarters included within the individual's determination period, as defined in RCW 50.20.015, shall not be charged to the experience rating account of any contribution paying employer.

(h) Beginning July 1, 1985, a contribution-paying base year employer, not otherwise eligible for relief of charges for benefits under this section, may receive such relief if:

(i) The benefit charges result from payment to an individual who last left the employ of such employer voluntarily for reasons not attributable to the employer, or was discharged for misconduct connected with his or her work; and

(ii) The employer requests relief of charges in writing within thirty days following mailing to the last known address of the notification of the initial determination of such a claim, stating the date and reason for the last leaving; and

(iii) Upon investigation of the separation, the commissioner rules that the relief should be granted.

(i) Benefits paid to an individual who does not successfully complete an approved on-the-job training program under RCW 50.12.240 shall not be charged to the experience rating account of the contribution paying employer who provided the approved on-the-job training.

(j) Benefits paid resulting from a closure or severe curtailment of operations at the employer's plant, building, work site, or facility due to damage caused by fire, flood, or other natural disaster shall not be charged to the experience rating account of the employer if:

(i) The employer petitions for relief of charges; and

(ii) The commissioner approves granting relief of charges.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Section 1 of this act shall apply retrospectively to all applicable employers and employees as of May 1, 1989.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. If any part of this act is found to be in conflict with federal requirements that are a prescribed condition to the allocation of federal funds to the state or the eligibility of employers in this state for federal unemployment tax credits, the conflicting part of this act is hereby declared to be inoperative solely to the extent of the conflict, and such finding or determination shall not affect the operation of the remainder of this act. The rules under this act shall meet federal requirements that are a necessary condition to the receipt of federal funds by the state or the granting of federal unemployment tax credits to employers in this state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.