Signed by Governor Mitch Daniels, Jr.

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

A Vote to pass a bill that amends the current labor laws to allow for higher payouts during times of high unemployment throughout the state. It changes the requirements for receiving benefits, and increases the amount at which unemployment wages can be taxed.

Highlights:

-Establishes the unemployment insurance oversight committee (Sec. 1). -Requires that employers pay only a portion of the benefits not covered by the government (Sec. 11). -Allows for higher total payouts during times of "high unemployment" (Sec. 3). -Determines that an unemployed person claiming benefits must submit at least one job application a week (Sec. 20). -Provides for reductions in maximum benefits if all unemployment conditions are not met (Sec. 24).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends the current labor laws to allow for higher payouts during times of high unemployment throughout the state. It changes the requirements for receiving benefits, and increases the amount at which unemployment wages can be taxed.

Highlights:

-Establishes the unemployment insurance oversight committee (Sec. 1). -Requires that employers pay only a portion of the benefits not covered by the government (Sec. 5). -Allows for higher total payouts during times of "high unemployment" (Sec. 6). -Increases the amount at which unemployment wages can be taxes from $7,000 to $10,000 (Sec. 7). -Determines that an unemployed person claiming benefits must submit at least three job applications a week (Sec. 30). -Provides for reductions in maximum benefits if all unemployment conditions are not met (Sec. 27).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

A vote to pass a bill that provides for the investigation into and punishment for the violation of employment classifications of independent contractors

Highlights:

-Provides for the proper employment classification of an independent contractor on a construction project and defines penalties for non-compliance (Sec. 1). -Provides for the sharing of information concerning the classification of individuals as independent contractors among the department of labor, the department of state revenue, the department of workforce development, and the worker's compensation board of Indiana, as well as setting out which information must remain confidential (Sec. 2). -Creates guidelines permitting the Department of Labor to investigate relationships between a contractor and his/her employees, and also requires the department to be in compliance with the states' worker's compensation laws, rules of the department of state revenue, and the rules of the department of workforce development (Secs. 5-10). -Provides exceptions for the types of independent contractors who qualify as employees, including those working on the construction of private residential homes (Sec. 6). -Grants the Department of Labor the power to enforce these provisions, as well as hire personnel necessary to do so (Sec. 6).

Full Bill Text

Highlights:

Project Vote Smart staff and volunteers are working hard to produce a clear and accurate summary of the contents of the bill. At this time, we have posted the voting record for HB 1379 so you can see how the office holder representing you has voted on this piece of legislation. We will have a detailed summary available as soon as possible. For further status information, call the Voter's Research Hotline at 1-888-VOTE-SMART (1-888-868-3762).

Full Bill Text