SECTION 240:10-3-20. Instructions to secure work

(a)   Able and available to accept employment. When a claimant files an initial claim for benefits, the Commission shall instruct the claimant that, in addition to registering for work in the Oklahoma labor exchange system or the system in the state in which the claimant resides, the claimant must diligently search for suitable employment.

(b)   Seek and accept work. The Commission shall direct and require that in diligently searching for work the claimant must do those things that a reasonably prudent individual would be expected to do to secure work using any means that are appropriate and customary each week. A diligent work search requires that a claimant make two (2) work search efforts each week and consists of some combination of the following elements:

(1)   Union members must be registered with the hiring hall or placement facility of their labor union and be a member in good standing.

(2)   Participation in all reemployment services offered to the claimant by the Commission or any other State Employment Service.

(3)   Submit applications for work with employers.

(4)   Register with the placement service of any professional organization the claimant is a member of.

(5)   Register with the placement service of any school, college, university, or training institution from which the claimant graduated.

(6)   Take examinations for work with governmental agencies.

(c)   Increase of work search requirements. The number of work search efforts described in subsection (b) may be increased at the discretion of the Commission based on the circumstances of each claimant.

(d)   Waiver of work search requirement. If an employee is involved in a temporary layoff, a temporary layoff-federal, or is receiving supplemental unemployment benefit payments through an approved plan, the work search requirement is met if the employee maintains an attachment to the employer and remains available to return to work for the employer. The work search requirement may be waived by the Executive Director in consultation with the Deputy Director, the General Counsel, and a designated Division Director if it is found that claimants in a specific geographic area or region of the state are prevented from making a reasonable work search as a direct result of natural disaster, fire, flood, or explosion.

[Source: Amended at 8 Ok Reg 2301, eff 6-13-91; Amended at 12 Ok Reg 37, eff 11-1-94 (emergency); Amended at 12 Ok Reg 1375, eff 5-26-95; Amended at 15 Ok Reg 1496, eff 5-11-98; Amended at 18 Ok Reg 1114, eff 5-11-01; Amended at 23 Ok Reg 885, eff 5-15-06; Amended at 24 Ok Reg 1233, eff 5-25-07; Amended at 29 Ok Reg 459, eff 5-15-12; Amended at 32 Ok Reg 1738, eff 9-11-15; Amended at 36 Ok Reg 842, eff 7-25-19]