What is the Purpose of the Utah Employment Security Act?
The Utah Employment Security Act: (1) provides unemployment insurance payments to unemployed workers who are eligible, (2) establishes a statewide system of local employment centers for employment services, and (3) gathers and dispenses related workforce information. Ninety-five percent of Utah workers are covered by unemployment insurance. Unemployment insurance benefits are paid to lighten the burden of unemployment for the unemployed individual, maintain employment skills, maintain purchasing power in the community, and allow laid off employees to remain in the area so they will be available for re-employment. Any unemployed person may apply for unemployment benefits and, if eligibility requirements are met, may be paid at a rate determined by the claimant s earnings from former employers during the base period.
