(1) To ensure that unemployment insurance benefits are paid in accordance with RCW 50.20.098, the employment security department shall verify that an individual is eligible to work in the United States before the individual receives training benefits under RCW 50.22.150 or 50.22.155.

(2) By July 1, 2002, the employment security department shall:

(a) Develop and implement an effective method for determining, where appropriate, eligibility to work in the United States for individuals applying for unemployment benefits under this title;

(b) Review verification systems developed by federal agencies for verifying a person's eligibility to receive unemployment benefits under this title and evaluate the effectiveness of these systems for use in this state; and

(c) Report its initial findings to the legislature by September 1, 2000, and its final report by July 1, 2002.

(3) Where federal law prohibits the conditioning of unemployment benefits on a verification of an individual's status as a qualified or authorized alien, the requirements of this section shall not apply.

Contingent effective date—2011 c 4 §§ 7-15: "Sections 7 through 15 of this act take effect July 1, 2012, unless the United States department of labor determines by October 1, 2011, that this act does not meet the requirements of section 2003 of the federal American recovery and reinvestment act of 2009 for unemployment insurance modernization incentive funding." [ 2011 c 4 § 24.] The United States department of labor determined that this act meets the requirements of section 2003 of the federal American recovery and reinvestment act of 2009.

Conflict with federal requirements—2011 c 4: See note following RCW 50.29.021.

Conflict with federal requirements—Severability—Effective date—2000 c 2: See notes following RCW 50.04.355.