Unemployment insurance: training and retraining benefits.

Existing law provides for unemployment compensation benefits to eligible persons who are unemployed through no fault of their own. Existing law, until January 1, 2015, provides for retraining benefits to eligible individuals pursuant to the federal Trade Act of 1974, as amended by the federal Trade Act of 2002. Existing law authorizes an unemployed individual who files a claim for unemployment compensation benefits or extended duration benefits, or an application for federal-state extended benefits or any federally funded unemployment compensation benefits, to apply to the Employment Development Department for benefits during a period of training or retraining. This bill would establish the California Training Benefits Program, which, among other things, would, instead, specify that an unemployed individual shall be automatically eligible for those training and retraining benefits, regardless of whether the individual applies to the department for a determination of potential eligibility if specified criteria apply, or if the Director of Employment Development makes a determination of eligibility. Existing law requires that a determination of potential eligibility for specified training and retraining benefits be issued to an unemployed individual if the Director of Employment Development finds that specified conditions apply. This bill would delete those provisions, and instead specify that an unemployed individual who is able to work is eligible to receive training and retraining benefits if he or she certifies on the unemployment insurance claim form for benefits that he or she is enrolled in a training program that meets criteria specified by this bill, and a responsible person connected with the training or retraining program certifies that the individual is enrolled and is satisfactorily pursuing the training or retraining program. Existing law specifies that any unemployed individual receiving certain unemployment compensation benefits, who applies for a determination of potential eligibility for those benefits no later than the 16th week of his or her receiving those benefits, and is determined to be eligible for those benefits, is entitled to a training extension on his or her unemployment claim, if necessary, to complete approved training. This bill would eliminate that requirement that an individual apply for a determination of potential eligibility no later than the 16th week of his or her receiving those benefits, and would instead require that any unemployed individual receiving unemployment compensation benefits be entitled to a training extension on his or her unemployment compensation claim, if necessary, to complete approved training. Existing law requires the department to inform all individuals who claim unemployment insurance compensation benefits in this state of the benefits potentially available, as provided. This bill would require the department to also publicize and promote the benefits available under those provisions on its Internet Web site. Existing law specifies that, for purposes of provisions governing eligibility for work with respect to any week an individual is eligible for unemployment benefits, an unemployed individual who is able to work is eligible to receive benefits with respect to any week during a period of training or retraining, if the director finds that specified conditions apply. This bill would remove that requirement that the director make a specified finding for an unemployed individual who is able to work to be eligible to receive those benefits, if those specified conditions apply. Because the bill would make various changes to existing eligibility requirements for training and retraining benefits, which would result in additional amounts being payable from the Unemployment Fund, the bill would make an appropriation.