Unemployment Integrity Act of 2025
The Unemployment Integrity Act of 2025 would tighten requirements for people receiving unemployment benefits and connect extended unemployment funds to a state’s adoption of those requirements. Specifically, it adds an interview and certain reemployment obligations as a condition for regular unemployment compensation, creates a mechanism for voluntary reporting of noncompliance to the state, and calls for studies and potential increases in unemployment audits. It also conditions the transfer of extended unemployment funds on states enacting the new provisions. In short, the bill aims to push unemployed workers to engage more actively in reemployment activities and to ensure stricter enforcement and oversight of unemployment programs. Key features include: (1) an interview/participation requirement tied to available work; (2) a new, voluntary reporting channel for noncompliance; (3) an accompanying audit study and potential expansion of random audits; (4) a requirement that states’ laws include these provisions in order to receive extended unemployment funds; and (5) a one-year implementation window after enactment, with adjustments for states that have biennial legislatures.
Key Points
- 1Interview and reemployment services requirement: As a condition for regular unemployment benefits, claimants may be required to respond to requests, schedule and attend interviews, participate in reemployment services at an agreed time, and comply with reasonable requests such as drug testing or skill assessments if the state asks for them.
- 2Voluntary reporting of noncompliance: The bill creates a way for job contacts or others to voluntarily report a claimant’s failure to comply with the state’s work-related provisions.
- 3Audit and oversight expansion: The Secretary of Labor must study the impact of more random audits under the current Beneficiary Accuracy Measurement program, and, if beneficial, must regulate an increased audit frequency.
- 4Link to extended benefits: Funds for extended unemployment benefits could not be transferred to a state unless the state law includes the new interview/reenrollment provisions and the reporting mechanism. This ties eligibility for extended benefits to state compliance with the new requirements.
- 5Implementation timeline: Most changes would apply to weeks beginning one year after enactment, with special timing considerations for states with biennial legislative sessions.