Labor & Employment

LB 698 amends Nebraska's Healthy Families and Workplaces Act to update definitions and enforcement. It expands employee coverage by removing exclusions for agricultural workers and those working fewer than 80 hours yearly, while clarifying "small business" as employers with 11-19 employees. The bill increases penalties for violations (up to $5,000 for repeat offenses), requires public posting of citations (excluding contested cases), and strengthens employee lawsuit rights by allowing recovery of attorney fees. These changes directly affect small employers (11-19 workers) and their employees regarding paid sick leave and enforcement.

LB 544 would have amended Nebraska's Employment Security Law to disqualify unemployed individuals from receiving benefits if they fail to respond to a job offer within two business days or skip a scheduled interview without notifying the employer. This rule would directly affect job seekers who do not engage with available employment opportunities as required. The bill also required the unemployment department to create a reporting system (website portal, email, hotline) for employers to report such cases and mandated verification of employer claims before denying benefits. The proposed changes aimed to align with existing unemployment rules but were amended into another bill (LB 532) before becoming law.

This Nebraska bill (LB 197) amends key sections of the Employment Security Law to clarify rules for unemployment benefits. It updates disqualification rules (Section 48-628.09) to better define when workers lose benefits due to labor disputes, requiring proof of non-involvement in the dispute. The bill also streamlines claim processing (Section 48-630) and sets a two-year limit for redetermining benefit amounts (Section 48-631), ensuring timely resolution of eligibility issues. These changes directly affect unemployed workers and employers navigating benefit claims, making the process more transparent and efficient under Nebraska's unemployment system.