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House codifies employer portal and raises weekly work-search requirement for unemployment benefits
Summary
House Bill 153, which codifies a Louisiana Workforce Commission employer portal for reporting candidates who miss interviews and increases required weekly work-search actions from three to five, passed the House after debate over rural access and potential impacts on claimants.
BATON ROUGE, La. — The Louisiana House voted on May 5 to codify an employer reporting portal and increase required weekly work-search activities for unemployed claimants, approving House Bill 153 on a 73–24 vote.
Representative Abare (bill sponsor) told the House the measure “does 3 things.” The first, he said, is to codify an existing Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC) web portal that employers have used for about a year to report claimants who do not show for scheduled job interviews. "This bill would codify that and put that into statute," he said on the floor.
The bill also raises the number of required weekly work-search actions from three to five and directs the LWC to establish—by rule—what counts as an acceptable work-search action. Under the proposal the LWC would then return those rules to the Legislature so they can be codified.
Sponsor and committee materials cited limited evidence from the portal’s first year: employers submitted roughly 3,500 names to the portal, and LWC follow-up led to about 31 cases where employment-service requirements were not met, according to testimony reported on the floor. Supporters and members from the business community said the portal helps employers reduce wasted time on no-show interviews and gives LWC a way to spot repeat offenders.
Several members raised concerns about rural residents and low-income claimants who may have fewer options for job opportunities. Representative Willard and others asked whether forcing additional search activity could push some people off benefits or compel applicants to apply for jobs that would not be feasible. The author and the LWC representative said the agency would work with claimants and that training programs and exceptions could be directed by the administrator.
Representative Hebert offered a technical amendment to restore statutory language requiring participation in training programs “when so directed by the administrator.” The House adopted the amendment and then passed the bill on final passage.
HB 153 requires the LWC to codify acceptable work-search actions via rules, maintain the employer reporting portal in statute, and leave discretion to the department for training directives and investigations. The bill passed 73–24 and moves to the Senate; backers said they would return updated rules and reporting statistics to the Legislature after implementation.
