SECTION .0300 - WORK SEARCH REQUIREMENTS

04 NCAC 24B .0301          REQUIREMENTS FOR CLAIMANTS

(a)  Every claimant shall register for work at www.NCWorks.gov or a public employment office in the state in which you reside, actively seek work, are available for work, and will accept suitable work unless specifically exempted by G.S. 96-14.9 or federal law.

(b)  Each claimant shall make the minimum number of weekly work search contacts required by G.S. 96-14.9(e)(3).

(1)           Each claimant shall maintain weekly work search contact records as required by G.S. 96-14.9(e)(4).

(2)           Each claimant who receives his or her first unemployment benefit payment on or after March 1, 2014 shall have a mandatory in-person Employability Assessment Interview (EAI) with a workforce specialist at a local DWS office as a condition of continued eligibility for receipt of unemployment insurance benefits.  Claimants excepted from this requirement are: Reemployment Eligibility Assessment (REA); those enrolled in and attending a Workforce Investment Act (WIA) program; attached claims; and longshoremen.

(A)          The EAI shall be scheduled within four weeks of the first benefit payment to a claimant.

(B)          Each claimant reporting for EAI shall be required to present a valid form of identification to DWS or their designee to establish their availability for work as required under G.S. 96-14.9.  Valid identification shall be identification issued at the state or federal level and acceptable for Employment Verification (I-9) purposes, and includes the following:

(i)            driver's license;

(ii)           military identification;

(iii)          United States Passport;

(iv)          passport card;

(v)           trusted traveler cards such as the NEXUS SENTRI and FAST CARDS issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security;

(vi)          Permanent Resident Card (green card); and

(vii)         Native American tribal identification card.

(C)          DWS shall notify each claimant receiving an initial EAI of the date, time, and location by mail, at least 14 days in advance of the EAI.

(c)  Each claimant attending an EAI shall present his or her record of work in order to receive unemployment insurance services at a DWS office.

(d)  Each claimant shall actively seek suitable work as required under G.S. 96-14.9 and 20 C.F.R. 604.5 to receive unemployment benefits.

(1)           Work registration at www. NCWORKS.gov alone shall be insufficient to establish that a claimant is actively seeking work.

(2)           Each claimant shall seek work on their own behalf.

(3)           Restrictions as to salary, hours, or working conditions that are inconsistent with the labor market pursuant to the factors outlined in G.S. 96-14.9(f) shall indicate that a claimant is not making a reasonable search for suitable work.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 96-4; 96-14.9; 96-14.14; 96-15; 20 CFR 604;

Eff. July 1, 2015.