Z-1665               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6761

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Senators Newhouse and Barr; by request of Employment Security Department

Read first time 1/24/90 and referred to Committee on Agriculture.

AN ACT Relating to voluntary combined reporting for agricultural employers; and amending RCW 49.30.005.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 82, chapter 380, Laws of 1989 and RCW 49.30.005 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) It is the intent of the legislature that the department assist agricultural employers in mitigating the costs of the state's unemployment insurance program.  The department shall work with members of the agricultural community to:  Improve understanding of the program's operation; increase compliance with work-search requirements; provide prompt notification of potential claims against an employer's experience rating; inform employers of their rights; inform employers of the actions necessary to appeal a claim and to protect their rights; and reduce claimant and employer fraud.  These efforts shall include:

          (a) Conducting employer workshops and community seminars;

          (b) Developing new educational materials; and

          (c) Developing forms that use lay language.

          (2) The employment security department, the department of labor and industries, the department of licensing, and the department of revenue shall develop a plan to implement voluntary combined reporting for agricultural employers by January 1, ((1991)) 1992.  The departments shall submit the plan to the legislature by January 10, 1990, and include recommendations for legislation necessary to standardize and simplify statutory coverage and other requirements.  Such standardization shall be as consistent with federal requirements as possible.

          The departments shall consult with representatives of agricultural employer and labor associations and general business associations in the development of the plan and legislation.  The departments shall ensure that they accommodate the needs of small agricultural employers in particular.

          (3) The department shall report to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature by January 10, 1990, 1991, and 1992 and include a description of the activities of the department to carry out the intents of this section and provide quantitative data where possible on the effectiveness of the activities undertaken by the department to comply with the intents of this section during the previous calendar year.