15 U.S.C. § 9034 — Funding for fraud prevention, equitable

Page 2518 TITLE 15—COMMERCE AND TRADE § 9034 during which such agreement is in effect, claim- ants of unemployment compensation refuse to return to work or to accept an offer of suitable work without good cause. Such method shall in- clude the following: (1) A reporting method for employers, such as through a phone line, email, or online por- tal, to notify the State agency when an indi- vidual refuses an offer of employment. (2) A plain-language notice provided to such claimants about State return to work laws, rights to refuse to return to work or to refuse suitable work, including what constitutes suitable work, and a claimant’s right to refuse work that poses a risk to the claimant’s health or safety, and information on con- testing the denial of a claim that has been de- nied due to a report by an employer that the claimant refused to return to work or refused suitable work. (Pub. L. 116–136, div. A, title II, § 2117, as added Pub. L. 116–260, div. N, title II, § 251(a), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 1961.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT This subtitle, referred to in text, is subtitle A (§ 2101 et seq.) of title II of div. A of Pub. L. 116–136, Mar. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 313, known as the Relief for Workers Af- fected by Coronavirus Act. For complete classification of subtitle A to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 9001 of this title and Tables. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Pub. L. 116–260, div. N, title II, § 251(b), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 1961, provided that: ‘‘The requirements im- posed by this section [enacting this section] shall take effect 30 days from the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 27, 2020].’’ § 9034. Funding for fraud prevention, equitable access, and timely payment to eligible work- ers (a) In general In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated to the Secretary of Labor for fiscal year 2021, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $2,000,000,000, to remain available until ex- pended, to detect and prevent fraud, promote eq- uitable access, and ensure the timely payment of benefits with respect to unemployment com- pensation programs, including programs ex- tended under subtitle A of title IX of the Amer- ican Rescue Plan Act of 2021. (b) Use of funds Amounts made available under subsection (a) may be used— (1) for Federal administrative costs related to the purposes described in subsection (a); (2) for systemwide infrastructure investment and development related to such purposes; and (3) to make grants to States or territories administering unemployment compensation programs described in subsection (a) (includ- ing territories administering the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program under sec- tion 9021 of this title) for such purposes, in- cluding the establishment of procedures or the building of infrastructure to verify or validate identity, implement Federal guidance regard- ing fraud detection and prevention, and accel- erate claims processing or process claims backlogs due to the pandemic. (c) Restrictions on grants to States and terri- tories As a condition of receiving a grant under sub- section (b)(3), the Secretary may require that a State or territory receiving such a grant shall— (1) use such program integrity tools as the Secretary may specify; and (2) as directed by the Secretary, conduct user accessibility testing on any new system developed by the Secretary pursuant to sub- section (b)(2). (Pub. L. 116–136, div. A, title II, § 2118, as added Pub. L. 117–2, title IX, § 9032, Mar. 11, 2021, 135 Stat. 121.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT Subtitle A of title IX of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, referred to in subsec. (a), is subtitle A (§§ 9011–9042) of title IX of Pub. L. 117–2, Mar. 11, 2021, 135 Stat. 118. For complete classification of subtitle A to the Code, see Tables. SUBCHAPTER III—ECONOMIC STABILIZA- TION AND ASSISTANCE TO SEVERELY DISTRESSED SECTORS OF THE UNITED STATES ECONOMY PART A—CORONAVIRUS ECONOMIC STABILIZATION § 9041. Definitions In this part: (1) Air carrier The term ‘‘air carrier’’ has the meaning such term has under section 40102 of title 49. (2) Coronavirus The term ‘‘coronavirus’’ means SARS–CoV–2 or another coronavirus with pandemic poten- tial. (3) Covered loss The term ‘‘covered loss’’ includes losses in- curred directly or indirectly as a result of coronavirus, as determined by the Secretary. (4) Eligible business The term ‘‘eligible business’’ means— (A) an air carrier; or (B) a United States business that has not otherwise received adequate economic relief in the form of loans or loan guarantees pro- vided under this Act. (5) Employee Except where the context otherwise re- quires, the term ‘‘employee’’— (A) has the meaning given the term in sec- tion 152 of title 29; and (B) includes any individual employed by an employer subject to the Railway Labor Act (45 U.S.C. 151 et seq.). (6) Equity security; exchange The terms ‘‘equity security’’ and ‘‘ex- change’’ have the meanings given the terms in section 78c(a) of this title.