HB29 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Ed OliverRepresentative

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Unemployment compensation, unemployed individual required to contact an increased number of prospective employers for each week of unemployment claimed; further providing for the meaning of failure to seek or accept suitable work

Summary

HB29 would raise the weekly job-search requirements for unemployment benefits in Alabama, based on county size, and clarify what counts as failure to seek or accept suitable work.

What This Bill Does

HB29 changes the weekly job-search requirement: claimants must contact at least 3 prospective employers per week in counties with fewer than 20,000 residents, or at least 5 in counties with 20,000 or more residents. Claimants must provide proof of these job-search efforts when they file their weekly claim, and the department may not count the same employer again unless that employer is actively hiring. The bill also broadens and clarifies what counts as 'failure to seek or accept suitable work' and includes several exceptions and protections (e.g., jury duty, training approved by the secretary, certain leaves), with random 5% reviews of proof and a possible suspension during emergencies. It becomes effective October 1, 2025.

Who It Affects

• Unemployed individuals who qualify for unemployment benefits would face higher weekly job-search requirements and must provide proof, risking benefit denial if they do not meet the standards.
• Employers and the unemployment compensation system (Alabama Department of Labor) would implement and enforce the new requirements, handle proof reviews, and any effects on benefit charges or employer experience ratings.

Key Provisions

• Increases the required number of prospective employers to contact per week to at least 3 for counties with fewer than 20,000 residents, or at least 5 for counties with 20,000 or more residents.
• Requires claimants to provide proof of work-search efforts when filing weekly certifications and limits repeated proof submissions from the same employer unless the employer is hiring.
• Requires random reviews of at least 5% of work-search proofs each week and allows the Governor to suspend the work-search requirement during a state of emergency.
• Provides a detailed and expanded definition of 'failure to seek or accept suitable work' with numerous exceptions and protections (including training approved by the secretary, jury duty, pregnancy-related leaves, and other specified circumstances).
• Effective date: October 1, 2025.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Labor & Employment