# 2026-22903: Unemployment Proposal Would Require Five Job-Hunting Efforts Weekly 2026-22903, Unemployment Insurance Program National Minimum Weekly Work Search Requirements, is a Federal Register proposed rule from Labor Department, Employment and Training Administration published 2026-11-10, effective The Department proposes a compliance date of 1 year from the effective date of the final rule for States to comply with the requirements of the final rule.; deemed significant under Executive Order 12866; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-11). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22903 - As of: 2026-11-11 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Document number: 2026-22903 - Title: Unemployment Insurance Program National Minimum Weekly Work Search Requirements - Type: Proposed Rule - Agencies: Labor Department; Employment and Training Administration - Citation: 91 FR 72472 - Published: 2026-11-10 - Effective: The Department proposes a compliance date of 1 year from the effective date of the final rule for States to comply with the requirements of the final rule. - Comments close: 2027-01-11 - Significant: yes (OIRA_API) - Touches household money: yes - Regulation identifier numbers: 1205-AC31 - Last updated: 2026-11-11 ## In one line Unemployment Proposal Would Require Five Job-Hunting Efforts Weekly ## Summary If you get unemployment benefits, soon you’ll need to show you’re actively job hunting by doing at least five work search activities each week. States will have to track and verify these efforts before paying benefits, making sure everyone is seriously looking for work. This change aims to make job searching rules fair and consistent nationwide, with comments open until January 11, 2027. ## Abstract The U.S. Department of Labor (Department), through the Employment and Training Administration (ETA), is proposing to amend 20 CFR part 604 both to reflect a 2012 update in Federal law in which Congress, by amending section 303(a) of the Social Security Act (SSA), established a Federal work search requirement; and to establish a national minimum weekly work search requirement standard for the Federal-State unemployment compensation (UC) program. This proposed rule would mandate, among other things, that States require individuals claiming UC to complete at least five qualifying work search activities or, where applicable, meet State-adopted points-based system requirements amounting to five qualifying activities or satisfy equivalent labor force attachment criteria, each week for which UC is claimed; that individuals report their work search activities as part of their certification process prior to payment being issued; and that State law allow for certain qualifying work search activities beyond simply employer contacts. This action is necessary to reduce inconsistencies beyond those created by local labor markets in State- level requirements for individuals to actively seek work. The intended effect is to hold States accountable for administering a UC program that provides temporary wage replacement to eligible individuals while they are actively seeking work through a meaningful engagement with the labor market. ## Effects PRIA read - Must do five job‑searchs each week: cost, high. If you claim unemployment benefits, State law would have to require you to complete at least five qualifying work search activities each week you claim benefits. States may instead adopt a points‑based system that equals five qualifying activities or allow an equivalent demonstration of labor force… - Report job searches before payment: cost, high. You must report the details of each completed work search activity (or equivalent labor force attachment) as part of your continued claim certification before payment is released for each claimed week. For biweekly certifications, States must still obtain separate weekly work search information and… - Many activities count toward searches: benefit, medium. State law must recognize qualifying activities beyond just contacting employers. Required examples include employer contacts (applications, interviews, employer skill/aptitude assessments), registration and ongoing contact with placement agencies, and contact with your union for job referrals. Stat… - Limited exceptions to search rule: benefit, low. You may be deemed to have met the weekly work search requirement in limited situations, such as when work search activities would not promote labor force attachment, when the timing of an initial claim does not allow completing the minimum activities, or other limited extenuating circumstances reco… - No warnings instead of ineligibility: cost, medium. States would be prohibited from issuing formal or informal warnings to claimants who fail to complete required weekly work search activities instead of determining ineligibility. The Department expects States to end such warnings upon publication of the final rule or as soon as State law permits. - States must notify claimants of rules: benefit, low. States must provide notice to individuals about the applicable work search requirements so claimants understand what activities count and the reporting expectations. The rule is intended to make expectations consistent and clear across States. ## Related documents - [2026-18978](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-18978): Federal-State Unemployment Compensation (UC) Program; Data Availability, 2026-09-16 - [2026-16982](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-16982): Wagner-Peyser Act Employment Service Staffing, 2026-08-20 - [2026-10456](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-10456): Department of Labor Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Annual Adjustments for 2026, 2026-05-27 - [2025-12317](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-12317): Prohibiting Illegal Discrimination in Registered Apprenticeship Programs, 2025-07-02 - [2026-21168](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-21168): Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Job Corps Hall of Fame, Successful Graduate, Rising Star, and Staff Motivator of…, 2026-10-16 - [2026-18043](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-18043): Federal-State Unemployment Compensation Program: Notice of Federal Agency With Adequate Safeguards To Satisfy the Confidentiality Requireme…, 2026-09-03 ## Sources - [2026-22903 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/11/10/2026-22903/unemployment-insurance-program-national-minimum-weekly-work-search-requirements) - [2026-22903 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-11-10/pdf/2026-22903.pdf) ## Related - [Previous: 2026-22899, Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier, Inc., Airplanes](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22899) - [Next: 2026-22919, Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Canada Limited Partnership (Type Certificate P…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22919) - [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22903 (as of 2026-11-11).