TO AMEND SECTION 41-35-120 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO DISQUALIFICATION FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON IS DISQUALIFIED FROM UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AFTER TWENTY-SIX WEEKS IF THE PERSON DOES NOT APPLY FOR OR ACCEPT SUITABLE WORK OR DOES NOT ACCEPT DEPARTMENTALLY APPROVED COMMUNITY SERVICE WORK, AND TO ESTABLISH THE LENGTH OF THE DISQUALIFICATION PERIOD.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 41-35-120(5) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"(5)(a) Failure to accept work.
(a)(i) If the department finds he has failed, without good cause:
(i)(A)(1) either to apply for available suitable work within twenty-six weeks of filing an initial claim for unemployment benefits, when so directed by the employment office or the department;
(B)(2) to accept available suitable work within twenty-six weeks of filing an initial claim for unemployment benefits when offered to him by the employment office or an employer; or
(C)(3) to return to his customary self-employment, if any, when so directed by the department, the ineligibility begins with the week the failure occurred and continues until he has secured employment and shows to the satisfaction of the department that he has performed services in employment as defined in Chapters 27 through 41 of this title and earned wages for services equal to at least eight times the weekly benefit amount of his claim.; or
(4) to accept available community service work approved by the department of at least sixteen hours for each week that benefits are claimed.
(b) Ineligibility for unemployment benefits pursuant to this item begins with the week the failure occurred and continues until:
(i) he has secured employment and shows to the satisfaction of the department that he has performed services in employment as defined in Chapters 27 through 41 of this title and earned wages for services equal to at least eight times the weekly benefit amount of his claim; or
(ii) he has completed at least sixteen hours of community service approved by the department for each week that benefits are claimed."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.