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Unemployment Integrity Act

This bill makes significant changes to Wisconsin's unemployment insurance (UI) law, focusing on work search requirements and employer reporting. It allows employers to report to the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) when job seekers decline interviews, fail to respond to job offers, cancel interviews, or are unavailable for work. The bill requires UI claimants to provide weekly verification of all job offers and interviews, and establishes that claimants who do not meet certain job search criteria may be deemed ineligible for benefits for a specific week. Importantly, these weekly disqualifications will not reduce the claimant's total UI benefit entitlement. The bill also mandates that DWD investigate employer reports and considers them when determining a claimant's attachment to the labor market. Additionally, the legislation changes overpayment recovery from permissive to mandatory, meaning DWD must now act to recover benefits paid erroneously, including cases where someone uses another person's credentials to file a claim. The bill requires DWD to create reporting methods for employers and provide a plain-language notice to UI applicants about work search requirements and their rights. These changes aim to strengthen oversight of UI benefits and ensure that claimants are actively seeking employment while receiving unemployment assistance.1