SENATE BILL 263
50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2011
INTRODUCED BY
Timothy Z. Jennings
AN ACT
RELATING TO UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION; DENYING BENEFITS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO FAIL TO PASS A DRUG TEST.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
SECTION 1. Section 51-1-5 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003, Chapter 47, Section 9, as amended) is amended to read:
"51-1-5. BENEFIT ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS.--
A. An unemployed individual shall be eligible to receive benefits with respect to any week only if the individual:
(1) has made a claim for benefits with respect to such week in accordance with such rules as the secretary may prescribe;
(2) has registered for work at, and thereafter continued to report at, an employment office in accordance with such rules as the secretary may prescribe, except that the secretary may, by rule, waive or alter either or both of the requirements of this paragraph as to individuals attached to regular jobs and as to such other types of cases or situations with respect to which the secretary finds that compliance with such requirements would be oppressive or would be inconsistent with the purposes of the Unemployment Compensation Law. No such rule shall conflict with Subsection A of Section 51-1-4 NMSA 1978;
(3) is able to work and is available for work and is actively seeking permanent full-time work or part-time work in accordance with Subsection I of Section 51-1-42 NMSA 1978 and in accordance with the terms, conditions and hours common in the occupation or business in which the individual is seeking work, except that the secretary may, by rule, waive this requirement for individuals who are on temporary layoff status from their regular employment with an assurance from their employers that the layoff shall not exceed four weeks or who have an express offer in writing of substantially full-time work that will begin within a period not exceeding four weeks;
(4) has been unemployed for a waiting period of one week. A week shall not be counted as a week of unemployment for the purposes of this paragraph:
(a) unless it occurs within the benefit year that includes the week with respect to which the individual claims payment of benefits;
(b) if benefits have been paid with respect thereto; and
(c) unless the individual was eligible for benefits with respect thereto as provided in this section and Section 51-1-7 NMSA 1978, except for the requirements of this subsection and of Subsection D of Section 51-1-7 NMSA 1978;
(5) has been paid wages in at least two quarters of the individual's base period;
(6) has reported to an office of the division in accordance with the rules of the secretary for the purpose of an examination and review of the individual's availability for and search for work, for employment counseling, referral and placement and for participation in a job finding or employability training and development program. An individual shall not be denied benefits under this section for any week that the individual is participating in a job finding or employability training and development program; [and]
(7) participates in reemployment services, such as job search assistance services, if the division determines that the individual is likely to exhaust regular benefits and [need] needs reemployment services pursuant to a profiling system established by the division, unless the division determines that:
(a) the individual has completed such services; or
(b) there is justifiable cause for the individual's failure to participate in the services; and
(8) has successfully passed a drug test pursuant to Section 51-1-5.1 NMSA 1978.
B. A benefit year as provided in Section 51-1-4 NMSA 1978 and Subsection P of Section 51-1-42 NMSA 1978 may be established; provided an individual may not receive benefits in a benefit year unless, subsequent to the beginning of the immediately preceding benefit year during which the individual received benefits, the individual performed service in "employment", as defined in Subsection F of Section 51-1-42 NMSA 1978, and earned remuneration for such service in an amount equal to at least five times the individual's weekly benefit amount.
C. Benefits based on service in employment defined in Paragraph (8) of Subsection F of Section 51-1-42 and Section 51-1-43 NMSA 1978 are to be paid in the same amount, on the same terms and subject to the same conditions as compensation payable on the basis of other services subject to the Unemployment Compensation Law; except that:
(1) benefits based on services performed in an instructional, research or principal administrative capacity for an educational institution shall not be paid for any week of unemployment commencing during the period between two successive academic years or terms or, when an agreement provides for a similar period between two regular but not successive terms, during such period or during a period of paid sabbatical leave provided for in the individual's contract, to any individual if the individual performs such services in the first of such academic years or terms and if there is a contract or a reasonable assurance that the individual will perform services in any such capacity for any educational institution in the second of such academic years or terms;
(2) benefits based on services performed for an educational institution other than in an instructional, research or principal administrative capacity shall not be paid for any week of unemployment commencing during a period between two successive academic years or terms if the services are performed in the first of such academic years or terms and there is a reasonable assurance that the individual will perform services for any educational institution in the second of such academic years or terms. If compensation is denied to an individual under this paragraph and the individual was not offered an opportunity to perform such services for the educational institution for the second of such academic years or terms, the individual shall be entitled to a retroactive payment of benefits for each week for which the individual filed a claim and certified for benefits in accordance with the rules of the division and for which benefits were denied solely by reason of this paragraph;
(3) benefits shall be denied to any individual for any week that commences during an established and customary vacation period or holiday recess if the individual performs any services described in Paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection in the period immediately before such period of vacation or holiday recess and there is a reasonable assurance that the individual will perform any such services in the period immediately following such vacation period or holiday recess;
(4) benefits shall not be payable on the basis of services specified in Paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection during the periods specified in Paragraphs (1), (2) and (3) of this subsection to any individual who performed such services in or to or on behalf of an educational institution while in the employ of a state or local governmental educational service agency or other governmental entity or nonprofit organization; and
(5) for the purpose of this subsection, to the extent permitted by federal law, "reasonable assurance" means a reasonable expectation of employment in a similar capacity in the second of such academic years or terms based upon a consideration of all relevant factors, including the historical pattern of reemployment in such capacity, a reasonable anticipation that such employment will be available and a reasonable notice or understanding that the individual will be eligible for and offered employment in a similar capacity.
D. Paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) of Subsection C of this section shall apply to services performed for all educational institutions, public or private, for profit or nonprofit, which are operated in this state or subject to an agreement for coverage under the Unemployment Compensation Law of this state, unless otherwise exempt by law.
E. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section or Section 51-1-7 NMSA 1978, no otherwise eligible individual is to be denied benefits for any week because the individual is in training or attending school on a full-time basis with the approval of the division nor is the individual to be denied benefits by reason of application of provisions in Paragraph (3) of Subsection A of this section or Paragraph (3) of Subsection A of Section 51-1-7 NMSA 1978 with respect to any week in which the individual is in training or attending school on a full-time basis with the approval of the division. The secretary shall provide, by rule, standards for approved training and the conditions for approving training for claimants, including any training approved or authorized for approval pursuant to Section 236(a)(1) and (2) of the federal Trade Act of 1974, as amended, or required to be approved as a condition for certification of the state's Unemployment Compensation Law by the United States secretary of labor.
F. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, benefits shall not be payable on the basis of services performed by an alien unless such alien is an individual who was lawfully admitted for permanent residence at the time the services were performed, was lawfully present for the purposes of performing the services or was permanently residing in the United States under color of law at the time the services were performed, including an alien who was lawfully present in the United States as a result of the application of the provisions of Section 212(d)(5) of the federal Immigration and Nationality Act; provided that:
(1) any information required of individuals applying for benefits to determine their eligibility for benefits under this subsection shall be uniformly required from all applicants for benefits; and
(2) an individual shall not be denied benefits because of the individual's alien status except upon a preponderance of the evidence.
G. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, benefits shall not be paid to any individual on the basis of any services substantially all of which consist of participating in sports or athletic events or training or preparing to so participate for any week that commences during the period between two successive sport seasons, or similar periods, if the individual performed the services in the first of such seasons, or similar periods, and there is a reasonable assurance that the individual will perform the services in the latter of such seasons or similar periods.
H. As used in this subsection, "seasonal ski employee" means an employee who has not worked for a ski area operator for more than six consecutive months of the previous twelve months or nine of the previous twelve months. An employee of a ski area operator who has worked for a ski area operator for six consecutive months of the previous twelve months or nine of the previous twelve months shall not be considered a seasonal ski employee. The following benefit eligibility conditions apply to a seasonal ski employee:
(1) except as provided in Paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, a seasonal ski employee employed by a ski area operator on a regular seasonal basis shall be ineligible for a week of unemployment benefits that commences during a period between two successive ski seasons unless the individual establishes to the satisfaction of the secretary that the individual is available for and is making an active search for permanent full-time work;
(2) a seasonal ski employee who has been employed by a ski area operator during two successive ski seasons shall be presumed to be unavailable for permanent new work during a period after the second successive ski season that the individual was employed as a seasonal ski employee; and
(3) the presumption described in Paragraph (2) of this subsection shall not arise as to any seasonal ski employee who has been employed by the same ski area operator during two successive ski seasons and has resided continuously for at least twelve successive months and continues to reside in the county in which the ski area facility is located.
I. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an otherwise eligible individual shall not be denied benefits for any week by reason of the application of Paragraph (3) of Subsection A of this section because the individual is before any court of the United States or any state pursuant to a lawfully issued summons to appear for jury duty."
SECTION 2. A new section of the Unemployment Compensation Law, Section 51-1-5.1 NMSA 1978, is enacted to read:
"51-1-5.1. [NEW MATERIAL] DRUG TEST--PREREQUISITE FOR BENEFITS.--
A. Prior to submitting an application for benefits, an individual shall take a drug test administered by the division.
B. At the time of the test, the individual shall be given information by brand name or common name, as well as by chemical name, of the most common medications that may alter or affect a drug test. The individual shall have the opportunity to provide information concerning prescription or nonprescription medication or other relevant medical information that may help explain a positive result; provided that the information shall not preclude the administration of the drug test but shall be taken into account in interpreting the test results.
C. The costs of a drug test administered pursuant to this section shall be paid for by the applicant for benefits and may be deducted from benefits paid.
D. Drug test results shall be used only for the purpose of determining eligibility for benefits and shall not be released to any public or private person except as requested by the individual tested. The division shall be responsible for ensuring the confidentiality of drug test results.
E. The division shall provide any individual who tests positive with information concerning drug treatment programs that may be available in the area in which the individual resides; however, the division or the state is not responsible for providing or paying for drug treatment as part of the testing conducted under this section.
F. As used in this section:
(1) "drug" means an amphetamine, a cannabinoid, cocaine, phencyclidine, a hallucinogen, methaqualone, an opiate, a barbiturate, a benzodiazepine, a synthetic narcotic, a designer drug or a metabolite of any of the substances listed in this paragraph; and
(2) "drug test" means a chemical, biological or physical instrumental analysis for the purpose of determining the presence or absence of a drug."
SECTION 3. Section 51-1-7 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003, Chapter 47, Section 10, as amended by Laws 2005, Chapter 3, Section 3 and further amended by Laws 2005, Chapter 255, Section 1) is amended to read:
"51-1-7. DISQUALIFICATION FOR BENEFITS.--
A. An individual shall be disqualified for and shall not be eligible to receive benefits:
(1) if it is determined by the division that the individual left employment voluntarily without good cause in connection with the employment. No individual shall receive benefits until the division has contacted the former employer and determined whether the individual left the employment voluntarily; provided, however, that a person shall not be denied benefits under this paragraph:
(a) solely on the basis of pregnancy or the termination of pregnancy;
(b) because of domestic abuse evidenced by medical documentation, legal documentation or a sworn statement from the claimant; or
(c) if the person voluntarily left work to relocate because of a spouse, who is in the military service of the United States or the New Mexico national guard, receiving permanent change of station orders, activation orders or unit deployment orders;
(2) if it is determined by the division that the individual has been discharged for misconduct connected with the individual's employment; [or]
(3) if it is determined by the division that the individual has failed without good cause either to apply for available, suitable work when so directed or referred by the division or to accept suitable work when offered; or
(4) if it is determined by the division that the individual either failed a drug test administered pursuant to Section 51-1-5.1 NMSA 1978 or refused to submit to the drug test.
B. In determining whether or not any work is suitable for an individual pursuant to Paragraph (3) of Subsection A of this section, the division shall consider the degree of risk involved to the individual's health, safety and morals, the individual's physical fitness, prior training, approved training or full-time school attendance, experience, prior earnings, length of unemployment and prospects for securing local work in the individual's customary occupation and the distance of available work from the individual's residence. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the Unemployment Compensation Law, no work shall be deemed suitable and benefits shall not be denied under the Unemployment Compensation Law to any otherwise eligible individual for refusing to accept new work under any of the following conditions:
(1) if the position offered is vacant due directly to a strike, lockout or other labor dispute;
(2) if the wages, hours or other conditions of the work offered are substantially less favorable to the individual than those prevailing for similar work in the locality; or
(3) if, as a condition of being employed, the individual would be required to join a company union or to resign from or refrain from joining any bona fide labor organizations.
C. An individual shall be disqualified for, and shall not be eligible to receive, benefits for any week with respect to which the division finds that the individual's unemployment is due to a labor dispute at the factory, establishment or other premises at which the individual is or was last employed; provided that this subsection shall not apply if it is shown to the satisfaction of the division that:
(1) the individual is not participating in or directly interested in the labor dispute; and
(2) the individual does not belong to a grade or class of workers of which, immediately before the commencement of the labor dispute, there were members employed at the premises at which the labor dispute occurs, any of whom are participating in or directly interested in the dispute; provided that if in any case separate branches of work that are commonly conducted in separate businesses in separate premises are conducted in separate departments of the same premises, each such department shall, for the purposes of this subsection, be deemed to be a separate factory, establishment or other premises.
D. An individual shall be disqualified for, and shall not be eligible to receive, benefits for any week with respect to which, or a part of which, the individual has received or is seeking, through any agency other than the division, unemployment benefits under an unemployment compensation law of another state or of the United States; provided that if the appropriate agency of such other state or of the United States finally determines that the individual is not entitled to such unemployment benefits, this disqualification shall not apply.
E. A disqualification pursuant to Paragraph (1) or (2) of Subsection A of this section shall continue for the duration of the individual's unemployment and until the individual has earned wages in bona fide employment other than self-employment, as provided by rule of the secretary, in an amount equivalent to five times the individual's weekly benefit otherwise payable. A disqualification pursuant to Paragraph (3) of Subsection A of this section shall include the week the failure occurred and shall continue for the duration of the individual's unemployment and until the individual has earned wages in bona fide employment other than self-employment, as provided by rule of the secretary, in an amount equivalent to five times the individual's weekly benefit amount otherwise payable; provided that no more than one such disqualification shall be imposed upon an individual for failure to apply for or accept the same position, or a similar position, with the same employer, except upon a determination by the division of disqualification pursuant to Subsection C of this section. A disqualification pursuant to Paragraph (4) of Subsection A of this section shall continue for twenty-six weeks, after which the individual may again apply for benefits.
F. As used in this section:
(1) "domestic abuse" means that term as defined in Section 40-13-2 NMSA 1978; and
(2) "employment" means employment by the individual's last employer as defined by rules of the secretary."
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