BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 934

By: Dale

Economic & Small Business Development

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that current unemployment law allows an employee to collect unemployment benefits even if the employee's position is terminated after giving advance notice of resignation. These parties further contend that this current loophole could encourage an employee who knows the employee's position is about to be terminated for cause to give two weeks' notice and hope that the employer accepts the employee's resignation immediately, allowing the employee to receive unemployment benefits. H.B. 934 seeks to address this issue by revising provisions relating to eligibility for unemployment benefits.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 934 amends the Labor Code to establish that an individual is disqualified for unemployment benefits after voluntarily leaving work if the individual left the individual's last work after giving advance notice to the individual's employer of the individual's resignation, left for a reason other than for certain circumstances under which an individual is not disqualified for such benefits, and the individual's employment was terminated by the employer before the date stated in the advance notice of resignation as the individual's last day of work. The bill's disqualification applies regardless of whether the employer paid the individual for the entire notice period.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2015.