More than a year after the launch of the state’s transformation of its unemployment insurance system into a “reemployment program,” the Nebraska Department of Labor has released an updated version of its Unemployment Insurance: Advisement of Benefits Rights notice. This mandatory posting informs those who qualify for unemployment benefits of their rights and responsibilities under the law. Since October of 2015, those rights and responsibilities have undergone significant changes, necessitating a redesign of the posting.
The new Unemployment Insurance posting notifies individuals who want to make a claim for unemployment benefits of the differences between filing a claim for benefit years beginning prior to October 1, 2015, and filing a claim for benefit years beginning after that date. It also provides additional information on conditions which qualify for special accommodations, such as language barriers and physical and mental handicaps, as well as how to file an application for benefits where accommodation is required.
The previous version of this notice included a significant citation from Title 219, Chapter 4 of the Nebraska Administrative Code for the Department of Labor, which described a claimant’s availability and work search requirements in order to qualify for benefits. As those requirements have been significantly revised and expanded, this section has been removed from the posting. Instead, a brief section advises claimants that they must create an active, online, and searchable resume in the Nebraska Department of Labor’s web application. An Updated date of 9/21/2016 has also been added to the posting.
Although Nebraska’s minimum wage will not change in 2017, the Department of Labor also took the opportunity to streamline the state’s Minimum Wage in Nebraska notice. In November of 2014, Nebraska voters approved a minimum wage bump that increased the rate to $8.00 per hour in 2015 and $9.00 per hour in 2016, with no further increases scheduled. The updated posting removes the reference to the 2015 rate, leaving only the minimum wage rate which became effective as of January 1, 2016.
The text has been revised to be more precise in indicating which employees and employers are subject to the minimum wage, and which are subject to sub-minimum wages or otherwise exempt. The new posting also adds a definition for the use of the term “occupational classification” under the state minimum wage law. An Updated date of 10/5/2016 has also been added to the posting.
The state’s Discrimination in Employment, Housing, and Public Accommodations posting has undergone minor revision to ensure that all contact information is current. It has also gained a Post date of 6/07.
Thus far, the Nebraska Department of Labor has only released these updated notices in English. We will keep monitoring the situation to ensure that purchasers of our Spanish All-On-One will receive these mandatory updates as soon as they are released. In the meantime, employers who wish to purchase the English version of our All-On-One poster can click here to order now, or call 1-800-817-7678 to speak to a Compliance Advisor.