Idaho cracks down on unemployment benefits, so don’t ignore those job referrals

Unemployed Idahoans could get booted from a state benefits program if they fail to follow new job-seeking requirements that went into effect June 1.

Workers receiving unemployment benefits now have two business days to file for a job opening after receiving a referral from the Idaho Department of Labor. Failure to make application from referrals, which are based on a worker’s skills and experience, could strip a person of unemployment insurance benefits.

“Once a job is referred, the claimant must apply for the job or act on that referral,” Jani Revier, director of the Idaho Department of Labor, said in a Zoom interview. “In the past, when referrals were made, there were no consequences if they didn’t follow up.”

Unemployment insurance benefits replace a portion of a worker’s income after the worker is laid off, quits voluntarily with good cause for an employment-related issue, or is fired but not for misconduct.

A person is eligible to receive unemployment benefits for between 10 weeks and 21 weeks. A claimant can receive benefits for up to 52 weeks if the claimant works part time but is unable to obtain a full-time job.

Benefits range from $72 to $463 a week, Smith said. The amount depends on what the claimant earned while working.

Unemployed workers receiving benefits must file a weekly certification with the Department of Labor. They must be physically and mentally able to work, be available to work, and actively seek full-time work.

State workforce consultants will email or call an employer to verify that the claimant applied for any job referred to the worker to ensure those receiving benefits are complying with unemployment insurance work-seeking requirements.

Previously, the Department of Labor did not track whether claimants followed up on job referrals, Revier said.

“We don’t have any data to say whether people followed up or not,” she said. “We know in some cases it happened, but in other cases we can assume it didn’t. One of the big differences now is that we’re going to be following up with businesses to see if someone makes that call or follows up.”

There was a problem with people following up on job referrals before the coronavirus pandemic hit in March 2020, Revier said: Idaho had a historic low unemployment rate of 2.6%.

“Many of the problems we saw prepandemic are back: The really tight labor market is back and, once again, businesses are struggling to find workers,” she said.

In March , there were 1.4 available jobs for every unemployed Idahoan, Revier said. With more openings than available workers, that makes it difficult for employers to fill jobs. That same month, nationally there were 1.2 unemployed workers for every job opening, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Economists, Revier said, consider full employment is when the unemployment rate is at 4% or lower.

“We’re already below that,” Revier said. “Idaho was one of the few states that saw year-over-year growth during the pandemic. Our economy was one of the least impacted in terms of unemployment.”

That’s not to say that some people aren’t still hurting, she said.

“I don’t want to take away from that, but overall we’ve fared far better than many other states,” she said.

Employers interviewed by the Idaho Statesman in recent months expressed frustration over people who responded to job solicitations but who did not show up for interviews.

“We’ve had people who are unemployed come and sign up for an application, set up an interview and then not show up, because that checks the box to make sure they get their unemployment benefits,” Dodds Hayden, owner of Hayden Beverage, said last month by phone.

Revier asks that an employer notify the Department of Labor when a job seeker with a referral does not show up.

“We’ll investigate and make sure that it met the requirements of a valid job offer and if it did, benefits could be denied,” she said.

The change comes as Idaho is set to discontinue participation in the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program, which provided an extra $300 per week in an emergency payment for unemployment recipients.

That program, and one that extended benefits after a claimant exhausted eligibility, are set to end Saturday, June 19. At the same time, programs for self-employed workers, low-wage earners and workers with pending or denied issues will also end.

When Gov. Brad Little said last month that he would end Idaho’s participation in those programs, the number of people submitting applications at Hayden Beverage increased, Hayden said.

Revier said employers should let the Department of Labor know about open positions. Job-seekers, whether they’re unemployed or not, should contact the agency to ask about positions that may match their skills and experience, she said.

“We have very talented workforce specialists across the state that can help connect people to those jobs or training,” Revier said.