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State Unemployment Bills Related to Members of the Military

(2004 and 2005 Legislative Sessions)

With the largest military mobilization in decades, states have offered a wide range of support services and benefits to the families and employers of National Guard, Reserve and Armed Forces members who have been called to active duty.  In the past two years, at least 5 states (Colorado, Florida, Georgia, New Mexico and Texas) have enacted legislation which have relaxed eligibility requirements for members of the military and/or their spouses to receive unemployment insurance benefits. 3 states (Illinois, Maine, Virginia and Wyoming) passed laws that relieve employers of benefit charges related to the deployment or return of members of the military.

State	Bill/Law	Status	Summary
Colorado	Chapter No. 248	Enacted, 6/2/05	Grants unemployment insurance benefits to an individual who leaves employment to accompany his or her military-connected spouse to a new place of residence or for medical reasons, from which location the employee's place of employment is not reasonably accessible.
	SB 201	Postponed Indefinitely, 4/14/04	Concerns the extension of unemployment benefits to a person who quits a job to relocate with an active duty military family member who has been transferred.
Connecticut	HB 5227	Failed Joint Favorable Deadline, 3/29/05	Provides unemployment benefits to spouses of active duty military personnel who are forced to quit their jobs due to the reassignment or transfer of the active duty spouse.
Florida	Chapter No. 2004-237	Enacted, 5/25/04	Provides eligibility for unemployment compensation benefits for spouses of members of the military under certain circumstances related to relocation as a result of military-connected change of station orders or unit deployment.
	SB 1606	Laid On Table, 3/31/04	Relates to unemployment compensation for spouses of members of the military.
Georgia	Act No. 49	Enacted, 4/21/05	Provides that leaving an employer because of the transfer of a spouse from one military assignment to another does not disqualify a person from unemployment benefits.
	HB 117	From Senate Committee, 3/4/04	Provides that leaving an employer voluntarily because of the transfer of a spouse from one military assignment to another shall not disqualify a person from unemployment benefits.
Illinois	Public Act 94-0152	Enacted, 7/8/05	Provides that an employer is not chargeable for benefit charges resulting from the payment of benefits to an individual if the employer's business is closed solely because of the entrance of the employer or a partner, officer, or majority stockholder of the employer into active duty in the National Guard or the Armed Forces.
	HB 5037	Re-referred To House Committee, 4/2/04	Provides that benefits payable for any week will not be reduced by any amount of remuneration paid to the individual with respect to that week for services as a member of the Illinois National Guard or the Armed Forces Reserve.
Kentucky	HB 293	To Senate Committee, 2/28/05	Relates to unemployment insurance; prohibits benefit disqualification of a spouse who leaves employment because of a military transfer.
Maine	Public Law No. 40	Enacted, 4/1/05	Relieves employers of unemployment benefit charges resulting from layoffs that occur as a result of personnel returning from military leaves of absence.
	L.R. 333	Introduced, 1/13/05	Relieves employers of unemployment benefit charges resulting from layoffs that occur as a result of personnel returning from military leaves of absence.
Michigan	SB 1325	To Senate Committee, 6/29/04	Relates to eligibility for unemployment benefits; removes disqualification of certain spouses of reassigned military personnel.
New Mexico	Chapter No. 255	Enacted, 4/6/05	Prohibits an individual from being disqualified from unemployment compensation benefits for leaving employment because of a spouse's relocation due to military service.
	SB 920	Vetoed by Governor, 4/8/05	Relates to unemployment benefits for military relocation.
New Jersey	AB 2804	To Assembly Committee, 3/7/05	Relates to the "Armed Services Unemployment Benefits Act."
	AB 971	Transferred To Assembly Committee, 11/15/04	Provides unemployment benefits for certain spouses of armed services members.
Oklahoma	HB 2004	To House Committee, 2/8/05	Adds exception to certain disqualification of benefits for military personnel.
Oregon	Chapter No. 174	Enacted, 6/14/05	Permits payment of supplemental unemployment benefits to dislocated workers whose unemployment is due to release from military duty related to deployment of Oregon National Guard or military reserves in Afghanistan or Iraq.
Rhode Island	HB 5906	Withdrawn, 4/11/05	Extends the period of time in which any injured or unemployed person has to file a claim for temporary disability insurance benefits or unemployment benefits by the time served on active military service.
Texas	SB 1342	Signed by Governor, 5/9/05	Relates to the eligibility of certain spouses of military personnel for unemployment compensation.
	HB 2401	In House Tabled, 4/29/05	Relates to the eligibility of certain spouses of military personnel for unemployment compensation.
Virginia	Chapter No. 105	Enacted, 3/20/05	Strikes a reference to a statute that was repealed in provisions of existing law that relate to unemployment compensation eligibility for individuals who are hired to replace a member of the military called to active duty whose employment was terminated concurrent with and because of the member's return from active duty.
	HB 1491	Stricken From Docket, 2/3/05	Provides that good cause for leaving employment exists if an employee voluntarily leaves a job to accompany his spouse, who is an enlisted person on active duty to a new military assignment from which the employee's place of employment is not reasonably accessible.
	HB 1908	Left In Committee, 2/8/05	Provides for purposes of unemployment compensation, good cause for leaving employment exists if an employee voluntarily leaves a job to accompany a spouse who is on active duty in the military services.
Wyoming	Chapter No. 86	Enacted, 3/5/04	Provides that employers' accounts not be charged for unemployment benefits paid to a worker displaced by a returning member of the armed forces.