HB364 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Danny GarrettRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

Unemployment benefits, maximum amount paid to an individual revised contingent on the state's average unemployment rate, maximum weekly benefits revised, terms of losing benefits due to disqualification, Secs. 25-4-72, 25-4-74, 25-4-78 am'd.

Summary

HB 364 would overhaul Alabama's unemployment benefits by changing how weekly and annual benefits are calculated, tying limits to the state's unemployment rate and updating disqualification rules, with changes taking effect in 2020.

What This Bill Does

It changes the weekly benefit amount to be one twenty-sixth of the average wages from the two highest base-period quarters, with rounding rules and a minimum threshold. If the calculated weekly amount is very small, there may be no weekly benefit; the weekly maximum would be capped at $255 (for weeks after 2008), then $265 (after 2009), and $275 (after 2020). The maximum amount payable in a benefit year would depend on the state's average unemployment rate and would be limited to the lesser of 20 times the weekly benefit or one-fourth of base-period wages. The bill also revises how much benefits are reduced when someone is disqualified, setting a reduction range of six to nine times the weekly benefit amount for certain disqualifications and detailing rules for misconduct, quitting, and other disqualifications.

Who It Affects

• Unemployed individuals in Alabama who would receive unemployment benefits; their weekly and total benefit amounts would change under the new calculation and caps, and some disqualification rules could affect eligibility.
• Employers and the Alabama Department of Labor; the way benefit costs are charged to employers’ experience rating and handling of disqualification or misconduct cases would change.

Key Provisions

• Weekly benefit amount is set at one twenty-sixth of the average wages from the two highest base-period quarters, with rounding rules and a minimum threshold; maximum weekly amounts are staged at $255 (2008), $265 (2009), and $275 (2020) as specified.
• Maximum annual benefits would be the lesser of 20 times the weekly benefit amount or one-fourth of base-period wages, with the actual cap dependent on the state's average unemployment rate.
• Disqualification rules are revised to set the total reduction in benefits for certain disqualifications at a range (not less than six and not more than nine times the weekly benefit amount) and to specify conditions for misconduct, quitting, and related scenarios.
• Effective date: the act becomes effective January 1, 2020.

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