Summary: House Bill 2203 was Ordered by the Speaker (at the request of Governor Theodore R. Kulongoski for Employment Department) -- Relating to unemployment insurance.

Relating to unemployment insurance; creating new provisions; and amending ORS 657.176 and ... 657.265. 75th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY -- 2009 Regular Session NOTE: Matter within { braces and plus signs + } in an ...

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(b)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, an individual is not considered to have committed a disqualifying act under this subsection if the individual, on the date of separation or within 10 days after the date of separation, is participating in a recognized drug or alcohol rehabilitation program and provides documentation of participation in the program to the department.

(B) This paragraph does not apply to an individual who has refused to enter into or has violated the terms of a last chance agreement with the employer.

(c) It is no defense or excuse under this section that the individual's separation resulted from alcohol use, Marijuana use, unlawful drug use, alcoholism or drug addiction.

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(c) 'Last chance agreement' means a reasonable agreement:

(A) Between an employer and an employee who has violated the employer's reasonable written policy, has engaged in drug or alcohol use connected with work or has admitted to alcohol abuse, Marijuana use or unlawful drug use; and

(B) That permits the employee to return to work under conditions that may require the employee to:

(i) Abstain from alcohol use, Marijuana use and unlawful drug use; and

(ii) Attend and comply with the requirements of a rehabilitation or education program acceptable to the employer.

(d) An individual is 'under the influence of intoxicants ' when the level of alcohol, Marijuana or unlawful drugs present in the individual's body exceeds the amount prescribed in a collective bargaining agreement, or the amount prescribed in the employer's reasonable written policy if there is no applicable collective bargaining agreement provision.

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The text on this Bill can be found in PDF format at: http://www.leg.state.or.us/09reg/measpdf/hb2200.dir/hb2203.intro.pdf

Status:

01/15 (H) First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.
01/22 (H) Referred to Business and Labor.
01/28 (H) Public Hearing held.
02/25 (H) Work Session held.
03/03 (H) Recommendation: Do pass with amendments, be printed A-Engrossed, and be placed on Consent Calendar.
03/05 (H) Second reading.
03/09 (H) Read third time under Consent Calendar. Passed. Ayes, 60.
03/10 (S) First reading. Referred to President's desk.
03/17 (S) Referred to Commerce and Workforce Development.

Testifying

Each speaker called to testify will have two minutes to address the committee. The order of testimony may be managed to ensure that all points of view on these measures are presented.

Staff respectfully requests that you submit 25 collated copies of written materials at the time of your testimony and, if possible, an electronic copy of materials provided to staff 24 hours prior to the meeting. Persons making presentations including the use of video, DVD, PowerPoint or overhead projection equipment are asked to contact committee staff and provide an electronic copy 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Whether you want to testify or not, it would be good to come to Salem for any hearings. It would be especially good to try to schedule a meeting with your Senator -or- Representative before the meeting, possible.

As with coming to court, if you decide to attend hearings, please dress appropriately and be polite and respectful.

click here -

http://www.leg.state.or.us/capinfo/

- for Capitol Info, such as directions, phone numbers and maps.

If you cannot attend, Please write and testify. You can find wording of the measures here: http://www.leg.state.or.us/bills_laws/

you can listen to the hearings online here http://www.leg.state.or.us/listn/

Details:  

> Provides that in case of conflict between provision of Employment Department Law and other provision of state law, Employment Department Law controls.

> Limits employment that will end individual's disqualification from receipt of unemployment benefits to employment subject to Employment Department Law or equivalent law in another state or Canada, employment required to be covered under Federal Unemployment Tax Act and employment by federal government.  

A copy of the Bill may be found online at:

http://www.leg.state.or.us/09reg/measpdf/hb2200.dir/hb2203.intro.pdf

. and here .

http://www.leg.state.or.us/09reg/measures/hb2200.dir/hb2203.intro.html

LTL (Letters-To-yer-Legislator, Editor, Org Director, Biz Owner)

you can send identical emails to every oregon senator (which will show as individual emails from you, to that senator) by sending To: orsen@oreg.net

you can send identical emails to every oregon representative (which will show as individual emails from you, to that representative) by sending To: orhouse@oreg.net

NOTEs - MAP's media resource center:


http://www.mapinc.org/resource/

If you go to about the middle of the page you will find the "Style Guide" with links to:

• MAP Letters to the Editor Archive
• Tips for Getting Letters to the Editor Published, by Platinum Letter Writer, Robert Sharpe
• Letters to the Editor & Opinion Pieces, American College of Emergency Physicians
• MAP Three Tips for Letter Writers
• Powerful Paragraphs, ClearWriter's ClearTips
• How to Write Letters to the Editor, Schaffer Library of Drug Policy
• Grammar Bytes!, Grammar Instruction with Attitude
• How to Communicate with Journalists, Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting
• Letter Writer's Style Guide, by Chris Donald
• Writing Effective Letters to the Editor, 20/20 Vision


respectfully, we suggest two main rules-of-thumb for letter writing to improve the liklihood of being published.

1. Write short declarative sentences as if you were speaking to a child, a small animal or a judge.

2. Limit yourself to 150 words.

Best of luck.

Here is .   Examples -

Will be posted as we learn about them.

Questions?  Comments?   Need some info?   Got some info?   NetWork!   E-Mail us or visit the Bulletin Board for further comments on this Bill -or- to post your own.

comments will go here.