An Act To Amend the Requirements for the Reporting of New Hires

Emergency preamble. Whereas,  acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and

Whereas,  federal law mandates the Department of Health and Human Services to operate a state directory of new hires to which employers doing business in this State must report the hiring of a new employee; and

Whereas,  federal law has recently been amended to require employers to also report the date a new employee begins work; and

Whereas,  it is necessary for state law to be amended as soon as possible to comply with the change to federal law; and

Whereas,  in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,

Sec. 1. 19-A MRSA §2154, sub-§1,  as amended by PL 1997, c. 669, §2, is further amended to read:

Sec. 2. 19-A MRSA §2154, sub-§4,  as enacted by PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 and affected by Pt. E, §2, is amended to read:

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.

summary

Current law requires an employer, upon notice by the Department of Health and Human Services, to report the hiring, rehiring or return to work of an employee. The department transmits the information to the National Directory of New Hires maintained by the federal Department of Health and Human Services.

This bill requires an employer to forward the information, including the date the person starts work, within 7 days of the employee's beginning or returning to service, without being notified by the Department of Health and Human Services.