By: Miller of Comal, Fallon, Guillen H.B. No. 3373

(Senate Sponsor - Hancock)

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 29, 2015; May 4, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Economic Development; May 22, 2015, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 11, Nays 0; May 22, 2015, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the liability of reimbursing employers under the Texas Unemployment Compensation Act.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 205, Labor Code, is amended by adding Section 205.0125 to read as follows:

Sec. 205.0125. EXCEPTION FROM DUTY TO PAY REIMBURSEMENT. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a reimbursing employer is not liable for paying a reimbursement for benefits paid to an individual, regardless of whether the employer was named as the individual's last work, if the individual's separation from work with the employer resulted from the individual:

(1) being discharged for misconduct; or

(2) voluntarily leaving work without good cause connected with the individual's work.

(b) A reimbursing employer may contest reimbursements billed to the employer by the commission in violation of this section using the dispute resolution procedures prescribed by Chapter 212 and rules adopted under that chapter.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to a claim for unemployment compensation benefits filed with the Texas Workforce Commission on or after the effective date of this Act. A claim filed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the claim was filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.

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