CHAPTER 567
UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION

      Sec. 31-225a. Definitions; employers' experience accounts; noncharging provisions; benefit ratio; rates of contribution; assessments to pay interest due on federal loans and to reimburse advance fund; fund balance tax rate; notice to employers; multiple employers; employers' quarterly reports; inspection of records. (a) As used in this chapter, "qualified employer" means each employer subject to this chapter whose experience record has been chargeable with benefits for at least one full experience year, with the exception of employers subject to a flat entry rate of contributions as provided under subsection (d) of this section, employers subject to the maximum contribution rate under subsection (c) of section 31-273, and reimbursing employers; "contributing employer" means an employer who is assigned a percentage rate of contribution under the provisions of this section; "reimbursing employer" means an employer liable for payments in lieu of contributions as provided under section 31-225; "benefit charges" means the amount of benefit payments charged to an employer's experience account under this section; "computation date" means June thirtieth of the year preceding the tax year for which the contribution rates are computed; "tax year" means the calendar year immediately following the computation date; "experience year" means the twelve consecutive months ending on June thirtieth; and "experience period" means the three consecutive experience years ending on the computation date, except that if the employer's account has been chargeable with benefits for less than three years, the experience period shall consist of the greater of one or two consecutive experience years ending on the computation date.

      (b) (1) The administrator shall maintain for each employer, except reimbursing employers, an experience account in accordance with the provisions of this section. (2) With respect to each benefit year commencing on or after July 1, 1978, regular and additional benefits paid to an individual shall be allocated and charged to the accounts of the employers who paid him wages in his base period in accordance with the following provisions: The initial determination establishing a claimant's weekly benefit rate and maximum total benefits for his benefit year shall include, with respect to such claimant and such benefit year, a determination of the maximum liability for such benefits of each employer who paid wages to the claimant in his base period. An employer's maximum total liability for such benefits with respect to a claimant's benefit year shall bear the same ratio to the maximum total benefits payable to the claimant as the total wages paid by the employer to the claimant within his base period bears to the total wages paid by all employers to the claimant within his base period. This ratio shall also be applied to each benefit payment. The amount thus determined, rounded to the nearest dollar with fractions of a dollar of exactly fifty cents rounded upward, shall be charged to the employer's account.

      (c) (1) (A) Any week for which the employer has compensated the claimant in the form of wages in lieu of notice, dismissal payments or any similar payment for loss of wages shall be considered a week of employment for the purpose of determining employer chargeability. (B) No benefits shall be charged to any employer who paid wages of five hundred dollars or less to the claimant in his base period. (C) No dependency allowance paid to a claimant shall be charged to any employer. (D) In the event of a natural disaster declared by the President of the United States, no benefits paid on the basis of total or partial unemployment which is the result of physical damage to a place of employment caused by severe weather conditions including, but not limited to, hurricanes, snow storms, ice storms or flooding, or fire except where caused by the employer, shall be charged to any employer. (E) If the administrator finds that (i) an individual's most recent separation from a base period employer occurred under conditions which would result in disqualification by reason of subdivision (2), (6) or (9) of subsection (a) of section 31-236, or (ii) an individual was discharged for violating an employer's drug testing policy, provided the policy has been adopted and applied consistent with sections 31-51t to 31-51aa, inclusive, section 14-261b and any applicable federal law, no benefits paid thereafter to such individual with respect to any week of unemployment which is based upon wages paid by such employer with respect to employment prior to such separation shall be charged to such employer's account, provided such employer shall have filed a notice with the administrator within the time allowed for appeal in section 31-241. (F) No base period employer's account shall be charged with respect to benefits paid to a claimant if such employer continues to employ such claimant at the time the employer's account would otherwise have been charged to the same extent that he employed him during the individual's base period, provided the employer shall notify the administrator within the time allowed for appeal in section 31-241. (G) If a claimant has failed to accept suitable employment under the provisions of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 31-236 and the disqualification has been imposed, the account of the employer who makes an offer of employment to a claimant who was a former employee shall not be charged with any benefit payments made to such claimant after such initial offer of reemployment until such time as such claimant resumes employment with such employer, provided such employer shall make application therefor in a form acceptable to the administrator. The administrator shall notify such employer whether or not his application is granted. Any decision of the administrator denying suspension of charges as herein provided may be appealed within the time allowed for appeal in section 31-241. (H) Fifty per cent of benefits paid to a claimant under the federal-state extended duration unemployment benefits program established by the federal Employment Security Act shall be charged to the experience accounts of the claimant's base period employers in the same manner as the regular benefits paid for such benefit year. (I) No base period employer's account shall be charged with respect to benefits paid to a claimant who voluntarily left suitable work with such employer (i) to care for a seriously ill spouse, parent or child or (ii) due to the discontinuance of the transportation used by the claimant to get to and from work, as provided in subparagraphs (A)(ii) and (A) (iii) of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 31-236.

      (2) All benefits paid which are not charged to any employer shall be pooled.

      (3) The noncharging provisions of this chapter, except subdivisions (1)(D) and (1)(F) of this subsection, shall not apply to reimbursing employers.

      (d) The standard rate of contributions shall be five and four-tenths per cent. Each employer who has not been chargeable with benefits, for a sufficient period of time to have his rate computed under this section shall pay contributions at a rate that is the higher of (1) one per cent, or (2) the state's five-year benefit cost rate. For purposes of this subsection, the state's five-year benefit cost rate shall be computed annually on or before June thirtieth and shall be derived by dividing the total dollar amount of benefits paid to claimants under this chapter during the five consecutive calendar years immediately preceding the computation date by the five-year payroll during the same period. If the resulting quotient is not an exact multiple of one-tenth of one per cent, the five-year benefit cost rate shall be the next higher such multiple.

      (e) (1) As of each June thirtieth, the administrator shall determine the charged tax rate for each qualified employer. Said rate shall be obtained by calculating a benefit ratio for each qualified employer. The employer's benefit ratio shall be the quotient obtained by dividing the total amount chargeable to the employer's experience account during the experience period by the total of his taxable wages during such experience period which have been reported by the employer to the administrator on or before the following September thirtieth. The resulting quotient, expressed as a per cent, shall constitute the employer's charged tax rate. If the resulting quotient is not an exact multiple of one-tenth of one per cent, the charged rate shall be the next higher such multiple, except that if the resulting quotient is less than five-tenths of one per cent, the charged rate shall be five-tenths of one per cent and if the resulting quotient is greater than five and four-tenths per cent, the charged rate shall be five and four-tenths per cent. The employer's charged tax rate will be in accordance with the following table:

      Sec. 31-230. Benefit year, base period and alternative base period. Regulations. (a) An individual's benefit year shall commence with the beginning of the week with respect to which the individual has filed a valid initiating claim and shall continue through the Saturday of the fifty-first week following the week in which it commenced, provided no benefit year shall end until after the end of the third complete calendar quarter, plus the remainder of any uncompleted calendar week that began in such quarter, following the calendar quarter in which it commenced, and provided further, the benefit year of an individual who has filed a combined wage claim, as described in subsection (b) of section 31-255, shall be the benefit year prescribed by the law of the paying state. In no event shall a benefit year be established before the termination of an existing benefit year previously established under the provisions of this chapter. Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the base period of a benefit year shall be the first four of the five most recently completed calendar quarters prior to such benefit year, provided such quarters were not previously used to establish a prior valid benefit year and provided further, the base period with respect to a combined wage claim, as described in subsection (b) of section 31-255, shall be the base period of the paying state, except that for any individual who is eligible to receive or is receiving workers' compensation or who is properly absent from work under the terms of the employer's sick leave or disability leave policy, the base period shall be the first four of the five most recently worked quarters prior to such benefit year, provided such quarters were not previously used to establish a prior valid benefit year and provided further, the last most recently worked calendar quarter is no more than twelve calendar quarters prior to the date such individual makes an initiating claim. As used in this section, an initiating claim shall be deemed valid if the individual is unemployed and meets the requirements of subdivisions (1) and (3) of subsection (a) of section 31-235. The base period of an individual's benefit year shall include wages paid by any nonprofit organization electing reimbursement in lieu of contributions, or by the state and by any town, city or other political or governmental subdivision of or in this state or of any municipality to such person with respect to whom such employer is subject to the provisions of this chapter. With respect to weeks of unemployment beginning on or after January 1, 1978, wages for insured work shall include wages paid for previously uncovered services. For purposes of this section, the term "previously uncovered services" means services that (1) were not employment, as defined in section 31-222, and were not services covered pursuant to section 31-223, at any time during the one-year period ending December 31, 1975; and (2) (A) are agricultural labor, as defined in subparagraph (H) of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 31-222, or domestic service, as defined in subparagraph (J) of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 31-222, or (B) are services performed by an employee of this state or a political subdivision of this state, as provided in subparagraph (C) of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 31-222, or by an employee of a nonprofit educational institution that is not an institution of higher education, as provided in subparagraph (E)(iii) of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 31-222, except to the extent that assistance under Title II of the Emergency Jobs and Unemployment Assistance Act of 1974 was paid on the basis of such services.

      (b) The base period of a benefit year for any individual who is ineligible to receive benefits using the base period set forth in subsection (a) of this section shall be the four most recently completed calendar quarters prior to the individual's benefit year, provided such quarters were not previously used to establish a prior valid benefit year, except that for any such individual who is eligible to receive or is receiving workers' compensation or who is properly absent from work under the terms of an employer's sick leave or disability leave policy, the base period shall be the four most recently worked calendar quarters prior to such benefit year, provided such quarters were not previously used to establish a prior valid benefit year and provided further, the last most recently worked calendar quarter is not more than twelve calendar quarters prior to the date such individual makes the initiating claim. If the wage information for an individual's most recently worked calendar quarter is unavailable to the administrator from regular quarterly reports of systematically accessible wage information, the administrator shall promptly contact the individual's employer to obtain such wage information.

      (1949 Rev., S. 7503; 1949, 1953, S. 3068d; 1969, P.A. 700, S. 4; 1971, P.A. 835, S. 12; P.A. 73-78; P.A. 75-334; 75-525, S. 7, 13; P.A. 77-115; 77-426, S. 5, 19; P.A. 79-40; 79-376, S. 30; P.A. 83-421; May 9 Sp. Sess. 02-7, S. 69; P.A. 05-34, S. 1; P.A. 07-193, S. 1.)

      History: 1969 act made minor wording changes for clarity; 1971 act added reference to "governmental" subdivisions and included wages paid by nonprofit organizations electing reimbursement in lieu of contributions; P.A. 73-78 clarified continuation of benefit year as "through the Saturday of the fifty-first week following the week in which it commenced" and prohibited establishment of new benefit year before termination of existing benefit year; P.A. 75-334 added exception re benefit year base period for those eligible to receive or receiving workmen's compensation; P.A. 75-525 required that benefit year and benefit period of claimant's filing combined claim be that prescribed by paying state; P.A. 77-115 required that last most recently worked quarter be no more than twelve, rather than four, quarters before claim made in provision re those receiving or eligible to receive workmen's compensation; P.A. 77-426 added provisions re weeks of unemployment beginning on and after January 1, 1978; P.A. 79-40 excluded use of quarters used previously to establish prior benefit year in establishing base period for subsequent benefit year; P.A. 79-376 substituted "workers'" for "workmen's" compensation; P.A. 83-421 provided that, for any individual who is properly on sick or disability leave from his employment, the base period will be the first four of the five most recently worked quarters prior to the benefit year; (Revisor's note: In 1991 the reference to "this subsection" was changed editorially by the Revisors to read "this section"); May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and made technical changes therein, added new Subsec. (b) to establish a temporary, alternative method for calculating the base period of a benefit year for individuals ineligible to receive benefits using the original base period set forth in Subsec. (a), and added new Subsec. (c) to require the administrator to adopt regulations implementing the alternative base period authorized by Subsec. (b), effective August 15, 2002; P.A. 05-34 amended Subsec. (b) to extend period during which alternative base period may be calculated to December 31, 2007, and deleted former Subsec. (c) re adoption of regulations; P.A. 07-193 amended Subsec. (b) by eliminating sunset date and making alternative base period permanent.

      Sec. 31-236. Disqualifications. Exceptions. (a) An individual shall be ineligible for benefits:

      (1) If the administrator finds that the individual has failed without sufficient cause either to apply for available, suitable work when directed so to do by the Public Employment Bureau or the administrator, or to accept suitable employment when offered by the Public Employment Bureau or by an employer, such ineligibility to continue until such individual has returned to work and has earned at least six times such individual's benefit rate. Suitable work means either employment in the individual's usual occupation or field or other work for which the individual is reasonably fitted, provided such work is within a reasonable distance of the individual's residence. In determining whether or not any work is suitable for an individual, the administrator may consider the degree of risk involved to such individual's health, safety and morals, such individual's physical fitness and prior training and experience, such individual's skills, such individual's previous wage level and such individual's length of unemployment, but, notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, no work shall be deemed suitable nor shall benefits be denied under this chapter to any otherwise eligible individual for refusing to accept work under any of the following conditions: (A) If the position offered is vacant due directly to a strike, lockout or other labor dispute; (B) if the wages, hours or other conditions of work offered are substantially less favorable to the individual than those prevailing for similar work in the locality; (C) 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 organization; (D) if the position offered is for work which commences or ends between the hours of one and six o'clock in the morning if the administrator finds that such work would constitute a high degree of risk to the health, safety or morals of the individual, or would be beyond the physical capabilities or fitness of the individual or there is no suitable transportation available from the individual's home to or from the individual's place of employment; or (E) if, as a condition of being employed, the individual would be required to agree not to leave such position if recalled by the individual's former employer;

      (2) (A) If, in the opinion of the administrator, the individual has left suitable work voluntarily and without good cause attributable to the employer, until such individual has earned at least ten times such individual's benefit rate, provided whenever an individual voluntarily leaves part-time employment under conditions that would render the individual ineligible for benefits, such individual's ineligibility shall be limited as provided in subsection (b) of this section, if applicable, and provided further, no individual shall be ineligible for benefits if the individual leaves suitable work (i) for good cause attributable to the employer, including leaving as a result of changes in conditions created by the individual's employer, (ii) to care for a seriously ill spouse or child, or parent domiciled with the individual, provided such illness is documented by a licensed physician, (iii) due to the discontinuance of transportation, other than the individual's personally owned vehicle, used to get to and from work, provided no reasonable alternative transportation is available, (iv) to protect the individual or a child domiciled with the individual from becoming or remaining a victim of domestic violence, as defined in section 17b-112a, provided such individual has made reasonable efforts to preserve the employment, but the employer's account shall not at any time be charged with respect to any voluntary leaving that falls under subparagraph (A)(iv) of this subdivision, or (v) for a separation from employment that occurs during the period beginning on July 1, 2007, and ending on June 30, 2008, to accompany a spouse who is on active duty with the armed forces of the United States and is required to relocate by the armed forces, but the employer's account shall not at any time be charged with respect to any voluntary leaving that falls under subparagraph (A)(v) of this subdivision; or (B) if, in the opinion of the administrator, the individual has been discharged or suspended for felonious conduct, conduct constituting larceny of property or service, the value of which exceeds twenty-five dollars, or larceny of currency, regardless of the value of such currency, wilful misconduct in the course of the individual's employment, or participation in an illegal strike, as determined by state or federal laws or regulations, until such individual has earned at least ten times the individual's benefit rate; provided an individual who (i) while on layoff from regular work, accepts other employment and leaves such other employment when recalled by the individual's former employer, (ii) leaves work that is outside the individual's regular apprenticeable trade to return to work in the individual's regular apprenticeable trade, (iii) has left work solely by reason of governmental regulation or statute, or (iv) leaves part-time work to accept full-time work, shall not be ineligible on account of such leaving and the employer's account shall not at any time be charged with respect to such separation, unless such employer has elected payments in lieu of contributions;

      (3) During any week in which the administrator finds that the individual's total or partial unemployment is due to the existence of a labor dispute other than a lockout at the factory, establishment or other premises at which the individual is or has been employed, provided the provisions of this subsection do not apply if it is shown to the satisfaction of the administrator that (A) the individual is not participating in or financing or directly interested in the labor dispute that caused the unemployment, and (B) the individual does not belong to a trade, class or organization of workers, members of which, immediately before the commencement of the labor dispute, were employed at the premises at which the labor dispute occurred, and are participating in or financing or directly interested in the dispute; or (C) the individual's unemployment is due to the existence of a lockout. A lockout exists whether or not such action is to obtain for the employer more advantageous terms when an employer (i) fails to provide employment to its employees with whom the employer is engaged in a labor dispute, either by physically closing its plant or informing its employees that there will be no work until the labor dispute has terminated, or (ii) makes an announcement that work will be available after the expiration of the existing contract only under terms and conditions that are less favorable to the employees than those current immediately prior to such announcement; provided in either event the recognized or certified bargaining agent shall have advised the employer that the employees with whom the employer is engaged in the labor dispute are ready, able and willing to continue working pending the negotiation of a new contract under the terms and conditions current immediately prior to such announcement;

      (4) During any week with respect to which the individual has received or is about to receive remuneration in the form of (A) wages in lieu of notice or dismissal payments, including severance or separation payment by an employer to an employee beyond the employee's wages upon termination of the employment relationship, unless the employee was required to waive or forfeit a right or claim independently established by statute or common law, against the employer as a condition of receiving the payment, or any payment by way of compensation for loss of wages, or any other state or federal unemployment benefits, except mustering out pay, terminal leave pay or any allowance or compensation granted by the United States under an Act of Congress to an ex-serviceperson in recognition of the ex-serviceperson's former military service, or any service-connected pay or compensation earned by an ex-serviceperson paid before or after separation or discharge from active military service, or (B) compensation for temporary disability under any workers' compensation law;

      (5) Repealed by P.A. 73-140;

      (6) If the administrator finds that the individual has left employment to attend a school, college or university as a regularly enrolled student, such ineligibility to continue during such attendance;

      (7) Repealed by P.A. 74-70, S. 2, 4;

      (8) If the administrator finds that, having received benefits in a prior benefit year, the individual has not again become employed and been paid wages since the commencement of said prior benefit year in an amount equal to the greater of three hundred dollars or five times the individual's weekly benefit rate by an employer subject to the provisions of this chapter or by an employer subject to the provisions of any other state or federal unemployment compensation law;

      (9) If the administrator finds that the individual has retired and that such retirement was voluntary, until the individual has again become employed and has been paid wages in an amount required as a condition of eligibility as set forth in subdivision (3) of section 31-235; except that the individual is not ineligible on account of such retirement if the administrator finds (A) that the individual has retired because (i) such individual's work has become unsuitable considering such individual's physical condition and the degree of risk to such individual's health and safety, and (ii) such individual has requested of such individual's employer other work that is suitable, and (iii) such individual's employer did not offer such individual such work, or (B) that the individual has been involuntarily retired;

      (10) Repealed by P.A. 77-426, S. 6, 19;

      (11) Repealed by P.A. 77-426, S. 6, 19;

      (12) Repealed by P.A. 77-426, S. 17, 19;

      (13) If the administrator finds that, having been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of thirty days or longer and having commenced serving such sentence, the individual has been discharged or suspended during such period of imprisonment, until such individual has earned at least ten times such individual's benefit rate;

      (14) If the administrator finds that the individual has been discharged or suspended because the individual has been disqualified under state or federal law from performing the work for which such individual was hired as a result of a drug or alcohol testing program mandated by and conducted in accordance with such law, until such individual has earned at least ten times such individual's benefit rate;

      (15) If the individual is a temporary employee of a temporary help service and the individual refuses to accept suitable employment when it is offered by such service upon completion of an assignment until such individual has earned at least six times such individual's benefit rate; and

      (16) For purposes of subparagraph (B) of subdivision (2) of this subsection, "wilful misconduct" means deliberate misconduct in wilful disregard of the employer's interest, or a single knowing violation of a reasonable and uniformly enforced rule or policy of the employer, when reasonably applied, provided such violation is not a result of the employee's incompetence and provided further, in the case of absence from work, "wilful misconduct" means an employee must be absent without either good cause for the absence or notice to the employer which the employee could reasonably have provided under the circumstances for three separate instances within a twelve-month period. Except with respect to tardiness, for purposes of subparagraph (B) of subdivision (2) of this subsection, each instance in which an employee is absent for one day or two consecutive days without either good cause for the absence or notice to the employer which the employee could reasonably have provided under the circumstances constitutes a "separate instance". For purposes of subdivision (15) of this subsection, "temporary help service" means any person conducting a business that consists of employing individuals directly for the purpose of furnishing part-time or temporary help to others; and "temporary employee" means an employee assigned to work for a client of a temporary help service.

      (b) Any individual who has voluntarily left part-time employment under conditions which would otherwise render him ineligible for benefits pursuant to subparagraph (A) of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section, who has not earned ten times his benefit rate since such separation and who is otherwise eligible for benefits shall be eligible to receive benefits only as follows: (1) If such separation from the individual's part-time employment precedes a compensable separation, under the provisions of this chapter, from his full-time employment, he shall be eligible to receive an amount equal to the benefits attributable solely to the wages paid to him for any employment during his base period other than such part-time employment; or (2) if such separation from the individual's part-time employment follows a compensable separation, under the provisions of this chapter, from his full-time employment, he shall be eligible to receive an amount equal to the lesser of the partial unemployment benefits he would have received under section 31-229 but for such separation from his part-time employment or the partial unemployment benefits for which he would be eligible under section 31-229 based on any subsequent part-time employment. In no event may the employer who provided such part-time employment for the individual be charged for any benefits paid pursuant to the subsection. For purposes of this subsection, "full-time employment" means any job normally requiring thirty-five hours or more of service each week, and "part-time employment" means any job normally requiring less than thirty-five hours of service each week.

      (1949 Rev., S. 7508; 1953, S. 3073d, 3074d, 3076d; 1953, 1955, S. 3075d; 1967, P.A. 790, S. 14; October, 1970, P.A. 1, S. 12; 1971, P.A. 835, S. 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 20a; 1972, P.A. 279, S. 4; 291, S. 1; P.A. 73-76; 73-81; 73-140; 73-411; 73-536, S. 6, 12; P.A. 74-70, S. 1-4; 74-75; 74-229, S. 17, 22; P.A. 75-105; 75-427; P.A. 76-414, S. 2; P.A. 77-319; 77-323; 77-426, S. 6, 17, 19; P.A. 78-331, S. 40, 58; P.A. 79-376, S. 31; P.A. 80-78; 80-260, S. 3, 4; P.A. 81-12, S. 2; 81-318, S. 1, 6, 8; P.A. 82-262, S. 2; P.A. 85-26; 85-258, S. 1; 85-500; P.A. 86-55; 86-60; P.A. 88-88; P.A. 93-243, S. 5, 15; P.A. 95-323, S. 3, 8; P.A. 99-123; P.A. 01-37, S. 1, 2; P.A. 04-214, S. 2; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-5, S. 17.)

      History: 1967 act substantially rewrote provisions for clarity, specified applicability with regard to suspension from work, leaving part-time for full-time work, unemployment because of a lockout, pregnant women and re periods of substantial unemployment and revised provision re retired persons; 1970 act added reference to extended benefit periods in Subdiv. (8); 1971 act made technical changes in Subdiv. (2), set period of ineligibility following woman's refusal to accept reemployment in Subdiv. (5) at period until she registers for work, applies for work, etc. rather than until she has been paid wages of at least $100, deleted provision prohibiting wages paid prior to retirement as basis for benefits and added Subdiv. (10) re school personnel; 1972 acts added Subdiv. (11) re subsidiary education personnel; P.A. 73-76 changed amount of wages applicable in Subdiv. (8) from $150 to $300 and added alternate amount of ten times the weekly benefit rate; P.A. 73-81 added proviso re amount of wage offer in Subdiv. (1); P.A. 73-140 repealed Subdiv. (5) re pregnant women; P.A. 73-411 prohibited reduction of benefits paid to veterans in Subdiv. (9); P.A. 73-536 clarified disqualification in Subdiv. (2); P.A. 74-70 added exception in Subdiv. (4), repealed Subdiv. (7) re benefits to ex-servicemen under act of Congress in recognition of their service and changed wording of Subdiv. (9) slightly; P.A. 74-75 deleted proviso re amount of wage offer in Subdiv. (1); P.A. 74-229 substituted "next four following weeks" for "duration of the disqualification period" in Subdiv. (2); P.A. 75-105 changed alternate amount in Subdiv. (8) from ten to five times the weekly benefit rate; P.A. 75-427 prohibited refusing benefits to those who refuse work because a condition of employment is agreeing not to leave position if recalled by former employer; P.A. 76-414 added Subdiv. (12) re student work-study experience; P.A. 77-319 added proviso in Subsec. (1) re leaving suitable work for cause, authorized disqualification for felonious conduct or repeated misconduct and changed disqualification from four weeks to "until such individual has earned at least ten times his benefit rate"; P.A. 77-323 repeated amendment re leaving work for cause; P.A. 77-426 repealed Subdivs. (10) to (12) re school personnel; P.A. 78-331 made technical changes in Subdiv. (9); P.A. 79-376 substituted "workers' compensation" for "workmen's compensation" and redesignated Subparas. with capital letters; P.A. 80-78 changed basic period of ineligibility from four weeks to "until such individual has returned to work and has earned at least six times his benefit rate in Subdiv. (1)"; P.A. 80-260 changed calculation of weekly benefit rate in Subdiv. (9); P.A. 81-12 deleted the noncharging provisions concerning an employer whose employee quit or was fired under the terms of this section and later collects benefits, as such provisions have been transferred to Sec. 31-225a by P.A. 81-12; P.A. 81-318 disqualified claimants from eligibility for unemployment compensation if they had been discharged for conduct constituting larceny in the third degree and deleted any reference in Subdiv. (9) to an offset which reduced benefits by the amount of pension, retirement pay or annuity received by the claimant, but see section 31-227(g); P.A. 82-262 specified ineligibility for benefits for participation in illegal strike; P.A. 85-26 amended Subdiv. (2)(B) to redefine larcenous conduct to be the taking of a property or service whose value exceeds $50; P.A. 85-258 amended Subdiv. (2)(A) to limit compensable "quits" to instances when the claimant left suitable work for sufficient work-related causes, or he left to care for a seriously ill spouse, child or parent, or he left due to the discontinuance of his only means of transportation and defined "repeated wilful misconduct" as any acts of such misconduct which occur within one year of each other; P.A. 85-500 provided that claimants may be disqualified if discharged or suspended for "just cause", and defined "just cause" to be a single act of wilful misconduct endangering life, safety or property; P.A. 86-55 added Subsec. (b), establishing limited eligibility rights for individuals who apply for unemployment compensation after having quit part-time employment, amending Subsec. (a) accordingly; P.A. 86-60 added Subsec. (a)(13), disqualifying any individual who is discharged or suspended from his employment during a term of imprisonment of 30 days or more to which he has been sentenced; P.A. 88-88 substituted "any employment during his base period other than such part-time" for "such full-time" in Subdiv. (1) and provided that an individual eligible for benefits under Subdiv. (2) would receive an amount equal to the lesser of the partial unemployment benefits he would have received but for the separation from the part-time employment or "the partial unemployment benefits for which he would be eligible under Sec. 31-229 based on any subsequent part-time employment"; P.A. 93-243 amended Subsec. (a)(2)(B) to expand the disqualification for larcenous conduct, amended Subdiv. (4)(A) to disqualify a claimant from eligibility for unemployment compensation while he is receiving severance or separation payments, and amended Subdiv. (13) to define "wilful misconduct", effective June 23, 1993; P.A. 95-323 amended Subsec. (a) to substitute "good cause attributable to the employer" for "sufficient cause connected with his work", to delete reference to "repeated" wilful misconduct in the course of employment, to amend the benefit level for employees discharged or suspended under state or federal drug or alcohol testing programs, to redefine "wilful misconduct" and to add definition of "temporary help service", effective October 1, 1995, and applicable to any separation of employment occurring on or after that date; P.A. 99-123 made technical and gender neutral changes, and amended Subsec. (a)(2) to prohibit refusing benefits to an individual who leaves suitable work voluntarily to protect the individual or a child domiciled with the individual from becoming or remaining a victim of domestic violence; P.A. 01-37 amended Subsec. (a)(2) by deleting "just cause" as a reason for discharge or suspension and making technical changes and amended Subsec. (a)(16) to delete definition of "just cause", redefine "wilful misconduct" to include absence without good cause or notice which could reasonably have been provided, and make a technical change; P.A. 04-214 amended Subsec. (a)(16) to change time period in definition of "wilful misconduct" from 18 months to 12 months and to define what constitutes a "separate instance"; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-5 added Subsec. (a)(2)(A)(v) re separation from employment during period from July 1, 2007, to June 30, 2008, to accompany a spouse who is on active duty with the armed forces of the United States.

      Sec. 31-249b. Appeal. At any time before the board's decision has become final, any party, including the administrator, may appeal such decision, including any claim that the decision violates statutory or constitutional provisions, to the superior court for the judicial district of Hartford or for the judicial district wherein the appellant resides. Any or all parties similarly situated may join in one appeal. In such judicial proceeding the original and five copies of a petition, which shall state the grounds on which a review is sought, shall be filed in the office of the board. The chairman of the board shall, within the third business day thereafter, cause the original petition or petitions to be mailed to the clerk of the Superior Court and copy or copies thereof to the administrator and to each other party to the proceeding in which such appeal was taken; and said clerk shall docket such appeal as returned to the next return day after the receipt of such petition or petitions. In all cases, the board shall certify the record to the court. The record shall consist of the notice of appeal to the referee and the board, the notices of hearing before them, the referee's findings of fact and decision, the findings and decision of the board, all documents admitted into evidence before the referee and the board or both and all other evidentiary material accepted by them. Upon request of the court, the board shall (1) in cases in which its decision was rendered on the record of such hearing before the referee, prepare and verify to the court a transcript of such hearing before the referee; and (2) in cases in which its decision was rendered on the record of its own evidentiary hearing, provide and verify to the court a transcript of such hearing of the board. In any appeal, any finding of the referee or the board shall be subject to correction only to the extent provided by section 22-9 of the Connecticut Practice Book. Such appeals shall be claimed for the short calendar unless the court shall order the appeal placed on the trial list. An appeal may be taken from the decision of the Superior Court to the Appellate Court in the same manner as is provided in section 51-197b. It shall not be necessary in any judicial proceeding under this section that exceptions to the rulings of the board shall have been made or entered and no bond shall be required for entering an appeal to the Superior Court. Unless the court shall otherwise order after motion and hearing, the final decision of the court shall be the decision as to all parties to the original proceeding. In any appeal in which one of the parties is not represented by counsel and in which the party taking the appeal does not claim the case for the short calendar or trial within a reasonable time after the return day, the court may of its own motion dismiss the appeal, or the party ready to proceed may move for nonsuit or default as appropriate. When an appeal is taken to the Superior Court, the clerk thereof shall by writing notify the board of any action of the court thereon and of the disposition of such appeal whether by judgment, remand, withdrawal or otherwise and shall, upon the decision on the appeal, furnish the board with a copy of such decision. The court may remand the case to the board for proceedings de novo, or for further proceedings on the record, or for such limited purposes as the court may prescribe. The court also may order the board to remand the case to a referee for any further proceedings deemed necessary by the court. The court may retain jurisdiction by ordering a return to the court of the proceedings conducted in accordance with the order of the court or the court may order final disposition. A party aggrieved by a final disposition made in compliance with an order of the Superior Court, by the filing of an appropriate motion, may request the court to review the disposition of the case.

      (P.A. 74-339, S. 25, 36; P.A. 75-339; P.A. 76-436, S. 620, 681; P.A. 78-280, S. 1, 5, 127; P.A. 79-376, S. 32; P.A. 80-428; P.A. 81-472, S. 64, 159; P.A. 82-472, S. 107, 183; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-29, S. 14, 82; P.A. 88-230, S. 1, 12; P.A. 90-98, S. 1, 2; P.A. 93-142, S. 4, 7, 8; P.A. 95-220, S. 4-6; P.A. 00-196, S. 20; P.A. 07-193, S. 2.)

      History: P.A. 75-339 allowed appeals to court "in and for the county wherein the appellant resides"; P.A. 76-436 added reference to judicial districts and specified that appeals to supreme court be made in accordance with Sec. 52-7 rather than "in the same manner as is provided in civil actions", effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 78-280 deleted reference to counties and substituted "judicial district of Hartford-New Britain" for "Hartford county"; P.A. 79-376 replaced "workmen's compensation" with "workers' compensation"; P.A. 80-428 specified when transcript is to be provided to court where previously transcript was a part of record without exception; P.A. 81-472 removed language concerning the assignment of appeals with the same privileges as workers' compensation appeals, as such workers compensation appeals no longer have preferential status; P.A. 82-472 made a technical correction; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-29 deleted reference to supreme court and substituted appellate court in lieu thereof; P.A. 88-230 replaced "judicial district of Hartford-New Britain" with "judicial district of Hartford", effective September 1, 1991; P.A. 90-98 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1991, to September 1, 1993; P.A. 93-142 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1993, to September 1, 1996, effective June 14, 1993; P.A. 95-220 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1996, to September 1, 1998, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 00-196 made a technical change; P.A. 07-193 authorized appeal of board's decision, including any claim that decision violates statutory or constitutional provisions.

      There is no language in this or any other unemployment compensation statute suggesting that court may hear claims on appeal from the board over which the board lacks jurisdiction. 280 C. 745.

      Sec. 31-254. Records and reports. State directory of new hires. Disclosure. (a)(1) Each employer, whether or not otherwise subject to this chapter, shall keep accurate records of employment as defined in subsection (a) of section 31-222, containing such information as the administrator may by regulation prescribe in order to effectuate the purposes of this chapter. Such records shall be open to, and available for, inspection and copying by the administrator or his authorized representatives at any reasonable time and as often as may be necessary. The administrator may require from any employer, whether or not otherwise subject to this chapter, any sworn or unsworn reports with respect to persons employed by him which are necessary for the effective administration of this chapter. Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection and subsection (g) of this section, information obtained shall not be published or be open to public inspection, other than to public employees in the performance of their public duties, in any manner revealing the employee's or the employer's identity, but any claimant at a hearing before a commissioner shall be supplied with information from such records to the extent necessary for the proper presentation of his claim. Any employee of the administrator, or any other public employee, who violates any provision of this section shall be fined not more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than six months or both and shall be dismissed from the service. Reports or records which have been required by the administrator and which have been used in computing benefit rights of claimants or in the determination of the amounts and rates of contributions shall be preserved by the administrator for a period of at least four years. Those records or reports required by the administrator which have not been used for the purpose of computing benefit rights or in the determination of the amounts or rates of contributions shall be preserved by the administrator for at least two and one-half years. Such records or reports may, after preservation for the minimum period required by this section, be destroyed by the administrator in his discretion, notwithstanding the provisions of section 11-8a. Notwithstanding any of the disclosure provisions of this chapter, the administrator shall provide upon request of the public agency administering the TANF and child support programs, any information in his possession relating to individuals: (A) Who are receiving, have received, or have applied for unemployment insurance; (B) the amount of benefits being received; (C) the current home address of such individuals; and (D) whether any offer of work has been refused and, if so, a description of the job and the terms, conditions, and rate of pay therefor. Notwithstanding any of the disclosure provisions of this chapter, the administrator shall provide, upon request of the Connecticut Student Loan Foundation, its officers or employees, any information in his possession relating to the current residence address or place of employment of any individual who has been determined by the Connecticut Student Loan Foundation to be in default on his student loan. Reimbursement for the cost of furnishing this information shall be made by the agency requesting the data in a manner prescribed by the administrator of this chapter.

      (2) Any authorized user of the CTWorks Business System shall have access to any information required to be entered into such system by the federal Trade Adjustment Assistance program, established by the Trade Act of 1974, as amended by 19 USC 2271 et seq., provided the user enters into a written agreement with the administrator establishing safeguards to protect the confidentiality of any information disclosed to such user. Each authorized user shall reimburse the administrator for all costs incurred by the administrator in disclosing information to such user. Information contained in the system shall not be disclosed or redisclosed to any unauthorized user, except that aggregate reports from which individual data cannot be identified may be disclosed. Any person who violates any provision of this subdivision shall be fined not more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than six months, or both, and shall be prohibited from any further access to information in the system.

      (b) The Labor Department shall administer a state directory of new hires in accordance with this section. Not later than twenty days after the date of employment, each employer maintaining an office or transacting business in this state shall report the name, address and Social Security number of each new employee employed in this state to the Labor Department by forwarding to said department a copy of the Connecticut income tax withholding or exemption certificate completed by such employee or by any other means consistent with regulations the Labor Commissioner may adopt in accordance with chapter 54, except that employers reporting magnetically or electronically shall report new employees, if any, at least twice per month by transmissions not less than twelve nor more than sixteen days apart. Each such report shall indicate the name, address and state and federal tax registration or identification numbers of the employer. Such information shall be transmitted in a format prescribed by the Labor Commissioner. Such information shall be entered by the Labor Department in the state directory of new hires within five business days of receipt and may be used by the Labor Commissioner in accordance with his powers and duties but shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed except as provided in subsections (d) and (e) of this section and subsection (b) of section 31-254a.

      (c) (1) For the purposes of this section, "employer" does not include any department, agency or instrumentality of the United States; or any state agency performing intelligence or counterintelligence functions, if the head of such agency has determined that reporting pursuant to this section with respect to the employee could endanger the safety of the employee or compromise an ongoing investigation or intelligence mission. For the purposes of subsections (b) to (e), inclusive, of this section, the terms "employer" and "employee" shall include persons engaged in the acquisition and rendition, respectively, of independent contractual services, provided the expected value of such services for the calendar year next succeeding the effective date of the contract for such services, is at least five thousand dollars.

      (2) An employer that has employees who are employed in this state and one or more other states and that transmits reports magnetically or electronically shall not be required to report to this state if such employer has designated another state in which it has employees to which it will transmit reports, provided such employer has notified the Labor Commissioner, in writing, as to which other state it has designated for the purpose of sending such reports.

      (d) On a daily basis, in IV-D support cases, as defined in section 46b-231, the Department of Social Services shall compile a list of all individuals who are the subject of a child support investigation or action being undertaken by the IV-D agency, as defined in section 46b-231, and shall transmit such list to the Labor Department. The Labor Department shall promptly identify any new employee who is such an individual and said department shall transmit to the Department of Social Services the name, address and Social Security number of each new employee and the name, address and state and federal tax registration or identification numbers of the employer. The IV-D agency shall use such information to locate individuals for purposes of establishing paternity and establishing, modifying and enforcing child or medical support orders, and may disclose such information to any agent of such agency that is under contract to carry out such purposes. The Labor Commissioner shall require that confidentiality safeguards be part of the contracting agency's agreement with the Department of Social Services.

      (e) On a biweekly basis, the Department of Social Services shall compile a list of individuals who are receiving public assistance under the temporary assistance for needy families, Medicaid, food stamp, state supplement and state-administered general assistance programs and shall transmit such list to the Labor Department. The Labor Department shall promptly identify any new employee who is such an individual and said department shall transmit to the Department of Social Services the name, address and Social Security number of each such new employee and the name, address and state and federal tax registration or identification numbers of the employer.

      (f) The Department of Social Services shall reimburse the Labor Department for any costs included in carrying out the provisions of this section, including the cost of providing a toll-free facsimile number for employers required to report pursuant to subsection (b) of this section and section 31-254a. The Commissioner of Social Services and the Labor Commissioner shall enter into a purchase of service agreement which establishes procedures necessary for the administration of subsections (b) to (f), inclusive, of this section.

      (g) (1) Notwithstanding any of the information disclosure provisions of this section, the administrator shall disclose information obtained pursuant to subsection (a) of this section to a regional workforce development board, established pursuant to section 31-3k, to the extent necessary for the effective administration of the federal Trade Adjustment Assistance Program of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, the federal Workforce Investment Act, as amended from time to time, and the state employment services program established pursuant to section 17b-688c for recipients of temporary family assistance, provided a regional workforce development board, enters into a written agreement with the administrator, pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection, concerning protection of the confidentiality of such information prior to the receipt of any such information.

      (2) The written agreement shall contain safeguards as are necessary to protect the confidentiality of the information being disclosed, including, but not limited to a:

      (A) Statement from the regional workforce development board of the purposes for the requested information and the specific use intended for the information;

      (B) Statement from the regional workforce development board that the disclosed information shall only be used for such purposes as are permitted by this subsection and consistent with the written agreement;

      (C) Requirement that the regional workforce development board store the disclosed information in a location that is physically secure from access by unauthorized persons;

      (D) Requirement that the regional workforce development board store and process the disclosed information maintained in an electronic format in such a way that ensures that unauthorized persons cannot obtain the information by any means;

      (E) Requirement that the regional workforce development board establish safeguards to ensure that only authorized persons, including any authorized agent of the board, are permitted access to disclosed information stored in computer systems;

      (F) Requirement that the regional workforce development board enter into a written agreement, that has been approved by the administrator, with any authorized agent of the board, which agreement shall contain the requisite safeguards contained in the written agreement between the board and the administrator;

      (G) Requirement that the regional workforce development board instruct all persons having access to the disclosed information about the sanctions specified in this section, and further require each employee of such board, and any agent of such board, authorized to review such information, to sign an acknowledgment that he or she has been advised of such sanctions;

      (H) Statement that redisclosure of confidential information is prohibited, except with the written approval of the administrator;

      (I) Requirement that the regional workforce development board dispose of information disclosed or obtained under this subsection, including any copies of such information made by the board, after the purpose for which the information is disclosed has been served, either by returning the information to the administrator, or by verifying to the administrator that the information has been destroyed;

      (J) Statement that the regional workforce development board shall permit representatives of the administrator to conduct periodic audits, including on-site inspections, for the purpose of reviewing such board's adherence to the confidentiality and security provisions of the written agreement; and

      (K) Statement that the regional workforce development board shall reimburse the administrator for all costs incurred by the administrator in making the requested information available and in conducting periodic audits of the board's procedures in safeguarding the information.

      (3) Any employee or agent of a regional workforce development board who discloses any confidential information in violation of this section and the written agreement, entered into pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection, shall be fined not more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than six months, or both, and shall be prohibited from any further access to confidential information.

      (1949 Rev., S. 7526; P.A. 77-426, S. 7, 19; P.A. 80-338, S. 8; P.A. 84-396, S. 1, 2; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 97, 165; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-4, S. 2, 11; June 18 Sp. Sess. 97-11, S. 63, 65; P.A. 03-89, S. 3; P.A. 04-76, S. 35; P.A. 07-125, S. 1; 07-160, S. 4, 5.)

      History: P.A. 77-426 specified information which may be disclosed to public agency administering AFDC and child support programs; P.A. 80-338 made technical changes and substituted reference to Sec. 11-8a for reference to Sec. 4-34; P.A. 84-396 added provision re disclosure, upon the request of the Connecticut Student Loan Foundation, of the current address or place of business of any individual determined to be in default on his student loan; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 replaced reference to "AFDC" with "TANF", effective July 1, 1997; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-4 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and added new Subsecs. (b) to (f) re Labor Department administration of state directory of new hires, effective October 1, 1998; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-11 changed effective date of June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-4 but without affecting this section; P.A. 03-89 amended Subsec. (c)(1) by expanding definition of "employer" and "employee" for purposes of Subsecs. (b) to (e), inclusive, to include persons engaged in acquisition and rendition of independent contractual services when expected value of such services is at least $5,000 for a calendar year; P.A. 04-76 amended Subsec. (e) by replacing reference to "general assistance" with reference to "state-administered general assistance"; P.A. 07-125 amended Subsec. (a) by designating existing provisions as Subdiv. (1), adding exception re provisions of Subdiv. (2) and making technical changes therein, and adding Subdiv. (2) re access to and confidentiality of information in CTWorks Business System and penalties for violation of subdivision; P.A. 07-160 amended Subsec. (a) by adding exception re provisions of Subsec. (g) and making technical changes and added Subsec. (g) re disclosure of certain information to a regional workforce development board that enters into a confidentiality agreement with administrator concerning disclosure of information, effective July 1, 2007.