HB 0499 2004
1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to unemployment compensation; amending s.
3	443.036, F.S.; providing a definition and an application
4	of an alternative base period; providing requirements and
5	limitations; providing an effective date.
6
7	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
8
9	Section 1. Subsection (7) of section 443.036, Florida
10	Statutes, is amended to read:
11	443.036 Definitions.--As used in this chapter, the term:
12	(7)(a)"Base period" means the first four of the last five
13	completed calendar quarters immediately preceding the first day
14	of an individual's benefit year.
15	(b) With respect to a benefit year commencing after
16	October 1, 2004, if an individual is not monetarily eligible in
17	his or her base period to qualify for benefits, the Agency for
18	Workforce Innovation must designate his or her base period to be
19	the alternative base period. As used in this paragraph, the term
20	"alternative base period" means the last four completed calendar
21	quarters immediately preceding the individual's benefit year.
22	Wages used in a base period to establish a monetarily eligible
23	benefit year may not be applied to establish monetary
24	eligibility in any succeeding benefit year. If information
25	regarding wages for the calendar quarter or quarters immediately
26	preceding the benefit year has not been input into the agency's
27	database, the agency shall request such information from the
28	employer. An employer must respond to the wage request within 10
29	days after receiving a request from the agency. If the employer
30	fails to provide the requested wage information within the
31	required time, the employer is subject to the penalty for
32	delinquent reports provided in s. 443.141(1)(b).
33	(c) For monetary determinations based upon the alternative
34	base period under paragraph (b), if the agency is unable to
35	access the wage information through its database, the agency may
36	base the determination of eligibility for benefits on an
37	affidavit submitted by the individual with respect to wages for
38	those calendar quarters. The individual must furnish payroll
39	information, if available, in support of the affidavit. A
40	determination of benefits based upon an alternative base period
41	shall be adjusted when the quarterly report of wage information
42	from the employer is received, if that information causes a
43	change in the determination.
44	Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.