Combined Operations Committee Training – May 9, 2005
SHORELINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN
COMBINED OPERATIONS COMMITTEE IN-SERVICE WORKSHOP – Summary
Monday – May 9, 2005 § 8:30 A.M.
900 (PUB) - Canteen
IN ATTENDANCE (Based on sign-in sheet)
John Backes, Beverly Brandt, Cathy Chun, Dorothy Cirelli, Ruth Clark, Rosemary Dunne,
Michele Foley, Kerry Fondren, Ann Garnsey-Harter, Paulette Graham, Mark Hankins,
Caryl Jacobs, Jim James, Mariko Kakiuchi, Gary Kalbfleisch, Kristi Kallander, Mary Kelemen, Lee Lambert, Nancy Lamus, Victoria Lauber, John Lederer, Lindsey Legaspi, Gillian Lewis, Barb Loney, Chris Melton, Darlene Miller, Holly Moore, Jeff Omalanz-Hood, Lynette Peters, Kae Peterson, Lillie Plummer, Rebecca Rhodes, Andrea Rye, Scott Saunders, Don Schultz, Debra Sherman, Gavin Smith, Jamie Smith, Randy Stegmeier, Zakiya Stewart, Yvonne Terrell-Powell, Nancy Teske, Susana Villamarin, Joanne Warner,
Holly Woodmansee, Chi-Feng Wu, Lori Yonemitsu, Judy Yu, Pam Ziegler
NOTE
Outline entitled Unemployment Insurance In-Service Workshop—Understanding and Controlling The Cost of Unemployment Insurance Claims & Taxes was emailed to Operations Committee listserv on May 4, 2005.
Workshop: Presented by Anthony Sanchez from Employers Unity, Inc. Anthony is Shoreline Community College’s representative from Employers Unity, Inc. Copies of Anthony’s PowerPoint presentation were available at the May 9, 2005 workshop.
HIGHLIGHTS
To Receive Benefits, A Claimant:
§Must be available for full-time work [Anthony noted that effective October 1st, an individual can also seek part-time work.]
§Must be physically able to work
§Must be actively seeking work
§Must have base period (qualifying) wages [certain amount within a certain timeframe]
§Must have a qualifying separation issue [have to be discharged for good cause (other than misconduct); separation from employment due to a spouse being transferred for military reasons & family having to relocate, is considered a qualifying separation issue.]
The Hearing Process:
The Unemployment Hearing:
§Five basic questions about ex-employee
first day worked
last day worked
position/job description
rate of pay at time of separation
REASON for separation
-quit?
-discharge? why? (be very specific)
-layoff?
There are six hearing officers in the state of Washington.
90% of the hearings are done by telephone in the state of Washington
Need for firsthand testimony—saw, heard, in relation to instances of separation
Most hearing officers will tell the employer if they “don’t have a case”
If a claimant hasn’t been receiving benefits and the hearing judgment is favorable to claimant, benefits are retroactive.
Normally only Three Types of Separations:
§Lack Of Work [lay off; partial lack of work]
§Voluntary Quit [burden of proof lies with claimant; not a ‘quit’ if coordinated by employee]
§Involuntary Discharge [employer carries burden of proof]
Reasonable Assurance:
§Only in the educational world. Many employees file unemployment claims during the Spring & Winter breaks—these claims are often denied as the individual filing the claim has a reasonable assurance of returning to work during the next term. Some individuals are eligible for unemployment benefits where there is no guarantee of future employment.
Judges like to see letters of intent in reasonable assurance hearings.
OTHER
According to Anthony, the college’s unemployment claims are high. He also noted that the majority of the college’s claims are from part-time faculty.
Anthony mentioned that almost all educational settings have a contact person in relation to unemployment related items. Shoreline Community College’s contact person is Jamie Smith.
ADJOURNMENT
10:05 A.M.
Submitted by Lori Y. Yonemitsu
Draft: June 20, 2005
Final: June 24, 2005
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