Senator Steve Nass (R-Whitewater), Co-chairman of the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules (JCRAR), announced today that he will move to suspend Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Emergency Rule 2106, a rule that waives work search requirements for individuals collecting unemployment insurance benefits.  The waiver of the work search requirements started last year in response to Covid-19.  Currently, Emergency Rule 2106 would not expire until July 10, 2021.

 

     “The Department of Workforce Development has the power to end the emergency rule early on its own authority.  Unfortunately, Governor Evers and his administration is ignoring the critical shortage of workers impacting almost every sector of the state’s economy.  The legislature will act quickly to restore the work search requirement,” Nass said.

 

Senator Nass is preparing the motion necessary for JCRAR to suspend Emergency Rule 2106 in its entirety.  JCRAR’s suspension action would immediately restore the normal requirement that UI benefit recipients complete a minimum of four work search activities every week and other pre-Covid provisions relating to work searches.

 

“We need every able-bodied person to re-enter Wisconsin’s workforce to rebuild our economy.  In the current situation, nearly every person on UI should be able to find employment in a short period time if required to seek new work,” Nass said.

 

JCRAR is expected to meet in the next two weeks to finalize the suspension and the UI work search requirement would be back in effect by the end of May.

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