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by Brenda Lepenski
LITTLE ROCK (KATV) \u2014 <\/span>A new Arkansas law that goes into effect the first of next month could impact job seekers who receive unemployment compensation benefits.
Under Act 106, an unemployment claimant can be disqualified from getting benefits for any week that they fail to respond to an offer of employment of fail to show up to a job interview without good cause.
Arkansas Sen. Ben Gilmore, R-District 1, who cosponsored the bill along with Kendon Underwood, R-District 16, said there's a workforce shortage across the state and employers have reported job seekers scheduling interviews but never showing up.
Gilmore said under the new law, employers could choose to report no-call, no-show interviews to the Division of Workforce Services.
"It's an option that they have to be able to report to the state, this person, whoever it might be, did not show up for the interview," he said.
The law states that if the job seeker could be disqualified if:
Gilmore noted this new law is not meant to penalize job seekers but "incentivize those who are actively looking for work."
The law also states that before a person is disqualified for unemployment compensation benefits, the director will verify the information submitted by the employer with the job seeker.<\/p>\n