NCJ Number
64241
Date Published
1977
Length
23 pages
Annotation
FOCUSING ON FRAUD AND ABUSE IN THE FEDERAL-STATE UNEMPLOYMENT SYSTEM, THIS PAPER DISCUSSES ISSUES CONCERNING ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF QUALITY CONTROLS, AND SOME RECENT PROBLEMS.
Abstract
TO CLARIFY MISCONCEPTIONS CONCERNING WHAT CONSTITUTES AN ABUSE OF THE UNEMPLOYMENT PROGRAM, THE PAPER NOTES STATE LAWS ON QUALIFICATIONS FOR ELIGIBILITY BENEFITS, DISQUALIFICATIONS, WORK REQUIREMENTS, AND ELIGIBILITY OF RETIREES. GENERALLY, BENEFITS ARE A RIGHT, IRRESPECTIVE OF FINANCIAL NEED; ALL UNEMPLOYED WORKERS WITH RECENT AND SUBSTANTIAL ATTACHMENT TO THE COVERED LABOR FORCE ARE ENTITLED TO BENEFITS. IN ADDITION, ALL STATES PROVIDE FOR DENIAL OF BENEFITS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO REFUSE SUITABLE WORK OR VOLUNTARILY QUIT THEIR JOBS WITHOUT GOOD CAUSE, OR ARE DISCHARGED FOR MISCONDUCT. HOWEVER, WHAT CONSTITUTES 'SUITABLE WORK,' 'GOOD CAUSE,' AND 'MISCONDUCT' VARIES FROM STATE TO STATE; THUS, AN INDIVIDUAL MAY BE DENIED BENEFITS UNDER ONE STATE WHILE RECEIVING THEM IN ANOTHER STATE. ALL STATES REQUIRE THAT CLAIMANTS MUST BE AVAILABLE FOR WORK AND MUST ACCEPT SUITABLE WORK UNLESS THEY HAVE GOOD CAUSE TO REFUSE IT. ADDITIONALLY, AN EVALUATION OF THE INTERSTATE PROGRAM, WHICH ALLOWS INDIVIDUALS TO COLLECT BENEFITS FROM ONE STATE, WITHOUT RESIDING IN THAT STATE, SHOWS NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE THAT FRAUD IS GREATER IN THIS PROGRAM THAN IN OTHERS. A DISCUSSION OF FRAUD AND NONFRAUD OVERPAYMENTS NOTES STATE LAWS CONCERNING FRAUDULENT BENEFITS AND STATES' METHODS TO DETECT IMPROPER PAYMENTS. FINALLY, RECENT PROBLEMS AND PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS ARE DISCUSSED. TABULAR DATA AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (WJR)