Sec. 1. (a) There is created a department under IC 22-4.1-2-1 which shall be known as the department of workforce development.

(b) The department of workforce development may do the following:

(1) Administer the unemployment insurance program.

(2) Enter into agreements with the United States government that may be required as a condition of obtaining federal funds related to activities of the department under this article.

(3) Enter into contracts or agreements and cooperate with local governmental units or corporations, including profit or nonprofit corporations, or combinations of units and corporations to carry out the duties of the department imposed by this article, including contracts for the delegation of the department's administrative, monitoring, and program responsibilities and duties set forth in this article.

(c) The payment of unemployment insurance benefits must be made in accordance with 26 U.S.C. 3304.

(d) The department of workforce development may do all acts and things necessary or proper to carry out the powers expressly granted under this article, including the adoption of rules under IC 4-22-2.

(e) The department of workforce development may not charge any claimant for benefits for providing services under this article, except as provided in IC 22-4-17-12.

(f) The department of workforce development shall do the following:

(1) Submit a report to the general assembly in an electronic format under IC 5-14-6 and to the governor before December 1 of each year concerning the status of the unemployment compensation system, including the following:

(A) Recommendations for maintaining the solvency of the unemployment insurance benefit fund established under IC 22-4-26-1.

(B) Information regarding expenditures from the special employment and training services fund.

(C) Information regarding money released under IC 22-4-25-1(c).

(2) Make a presentation before November 1 of each year to the interim study committee on employment and labor (established under IC 2-5-1.3-4) concerning the status of the unemployment compensation system, including the following:

(A) Recommendations for maintaining the solvency of the unemployment insurance benefit fund established under IC 22-4-26-1.

(B) Information regarding expenditures from the special employment and training services fund.

(C) Information regarding money released under IC 22-4-25-1(c).

(D) Any other information requested by the interim study committee on employment and labor.

(g) In addition to the duties prescribed in subsections (a) through (f), the department of workforce development shall establish, implement, and maintain a training program in the nature and dynamics of domestic and family violence for training of all employees of the department who interact with a claimant for benefits to determine whether the claim of the individual for unemployment benefits is valid and to determine that employment separations stemming from domestic or family violence are reliably screened, identified, and adjudicated and that victims of domestic or family violence are able to take advantage of the full range of job services provided by the department. The training presenters shall include domestic violence experts with expertise in the delivery of direct services to victims of domestic violence, including using the staff of shelters for battered women in the presentation of the training. The initial training shall consist of instruction of not less than six (6) hours. Refresher training shall be required annually and shall consist of instruction of not less than three (3) hours.

Formerly: Acts 1947, c.208, s.1901. As amended by P.L.18-1987, SEC.51; P.L.220-1989, SEC.1; P.L.21-1995, SEC.91; P.L.290-2001, SEC.12; P.L.189-2003, SEC.6; P.L.1-2005, SEC.184; P.L.161-2006, SEC.5; P.L.234-2007, SEC.141; P.L.7-2011, SEC.17; P.L.69-2015, SEC.16; P.L.171-2016, SEC.20; P.L.177-2017, SEC.1.