AN ACT providing that an unemployment insurance claim or employer account may be created in person, form 1099‑G will be provided via united states mail, and online facial recognition will not be required to make a claim or create an account and appropriating funds for those purposes.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Effective September 1, 2022, Article 2D of Chapter 96 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

§ 96‑15.4.  Claimant and employer access; services.

(a)        Claims for benefits and employer accounts must be handled in accordance with rules and procedures adopted by the Division, however, those rules and procedures must provide claimants and employers with the following services:

(1)        Filing a claim for unemployment insurance benefits or creating an employer account during an in‑person appointment and interview using valid forms of government‑issued identification.

(2)        Receiving Form 1099‑G by U.S. Mail and not via electronic means.

(b)        The Division shall not require any person to utilize an online facial recognition application or procedure to make a claim or create an employer account.

SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Commerce, Division of Employment Security, the sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2022‑2023 fiscal year to fund the program changes required by G.S. 96‑15.4, as enacted by this act.

SECTION 3.  Except as otherwise provided, this act becomes effective July 1, 2022.