Description of existing policies relevant to the rule, new policies proposed to be included in the rule, and an analysis of policy alternatives:
This rule is intended to temporarily bridge the need for a waiver of the waiting week during the COVID-19 pandemic. The policy to be included in this rule will provide relief to claimants who do not have to wait a week to receive their initial payment and relief for employers by providing that 50 percent of the first week of unemployment is federally funded rather than charged to or reimbursed by employers.
The policy alternative is to do nothing.
Statutory authority for the rule, including the statutory citation and language:
The Department has statutory authority for the proposed rule.
“The department may adopt and enforce all rules which it finds necessary or suitable to carry out this chapter.” Wis. Stat. § 108.14(2). Estimate of the amount of time that state employees will spend developing the rule and other resources necessary to develop the rule:
The estimated time is 40 hours.
Description of all entities that may be affected by the proposed rule:
Employers subject to contribution charging and reimbursement financing for unemployment insurance and unemployment insurance claimants.
Summary and preliminary comparison with any existing or proposed federal regulation that is intended to address the activities to be regulated by the proposed rule:
State law must conform to and substantially comply with federal regulations. See 20 C.F.R. § 601.5. Anticipated economic impact of implementing the rule (note if the rule is likely to have an economic impact on small businesses):
The proposed rule is expected to have an economic impact on employers subject to contribution charging and reimbursement financing, which may include small businesses.
