SB171 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Jerry L. Fielding

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Unemployment compensation, recipient required to perform community service

Summary

SB171 would require unemployment compensation recipients to perform community service and imposes penalties for noncompliance.

What This Bill Does

Starting July 1, 2015, each person receiving unemployment compensation would be required to participate in a community service program run by the Alabama Department of Labor, in conjunction with the Alabama Department of Human Resources. The program would set a minimum of 16 hours of community service per week for each participant and would publish monthly a list of eligible nonprofit 501(c)(3) programs; volunteering at public or private schools counts, but volunteering at a church where the recipient is a member would not. The department would issue regulations for verification of service and determine consequences for noncompliance, including loss of benefits for 30 days (first noncompliance), 60 days (second), and one year (third and subsequent), with possible re-entry requirements after the penalty period; federal public benefit rules and waivers may affect implementation.

Who It Affects

• Unemployment compensation recipients would be required to perform community service or lose benefits.
• Eligible nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3)) may receive access to individuals for mandated service, though acceptance is not guaranteed.
• The Alabama Department of Labor and the Alabama Department of Human Resources would administer and oversee the program, including standards, procedures, and verification.
• Recipients of federal, state, or local public benefits who refuse to participate could lose those benefits for one year.

Key Provisions

• Requires unemployment compensation recipients to participate in a department-administered community service program beginning July 1, 2015, with exemptions as required by federal law.
• Establishes a minimum of 16 hours of community service per week per participant and requires monthly publication of eligible nonprofit programs; school volunteering counts; church volunteering by a member does not qualify.
• The department will create regulations and verification procedures for community service; eligible nonprofits may be used but are not required to accept all participants.
• Noncompliance leads to ineligibility for unemployment benefits: 30 days for the first offense, 60 days for the second, and one year for the third and subsequent offenses; after a year, the recipient must re-enter the program to be eligible again.
• Refusal to participate in the program for those receiving public benefits results in a one-year ineligibility; implementation depends on federal waivers.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Unemployment Compensation