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2020 Special Session I

Budget Amendments - HB5005 (Member Request)

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Chief Patron: Reid
COVID-19 VEC Discretionary Authority (language only)

Item 131 #2h

Item 131 #2h

Commerce and Trade
Virginia Employment Commission

Language

Page 33, after line 9, insert:

"G.1. During a declared State of Emergency, that results in more than a 100% year over year increase in unemployment insurance claims, the Virginia Employment Commission shall have the discretion to redirect staff resources from collecting erroneous overpayments, less than or equal to $500 cumulative to a single individual, to processing new claims and adjudicating claims in question. The discretionary authority to redirect staff shall not apply to fraud investigations.

2. In the event the State of Emergency is greater than 30-days, at the conclusion of the State of Emergency, the Governor, at his discretion, may permanently waive the collection of all outstanding erroneous overpayments less than or equal to $500 cumulatively overpaid to an individual.

3. The Virginia Employment Commission shall implement a phone system that allows callers to enter into a callback queue which VEC staff will call through."



Explanation

(This amendment provides the authority for the Virginia Employment Commission to redirect staff resources during a state of emergency from collecting over payments to claims processing. It also gives them the authority to waive the collections of overpayments less than or equal to $500. Upon enrolling, Item 131 will be set out and enrolled appropriately.)