K.S.A. 44-718 Protection of Rights and Benefits; Penalties; Recoupment of Food Stamp Overissuances; Withholding of State Income Tax From Unemployment Compensation

• Library: Kansas Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through 2023 Session Acts Chapter 108
• Year: 2023
• Citation: K.S.A. 44-718

(a) Waiver of rights void. No agreement by an individual to waive, release or commute such individual's rights to benefits or any other rights under this act shall be valid. No agreement by any individual in the employ of any person or concern to pay all or any portion of an employer's contribution or payments in lieu of contributions required under this act from such employer, shall be valid. No employer shall directly or indirectly make or require or accept any deduction from remuneration to finance the employer's contributions required from such employer, or require or accept any waiver of any right hereunder by any individual in such employer's employ. Any employer or officer or agent of an employer who violates any provision of this subsection shall, for each offense, be fined not less than $100 nor more than $1,000 or be imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.

(b) Limitation of fees. No individual claiming benefits shall be charged fees of any kind in any proceeding under this act by the secretary of labor or representatives of the secretary or by any court or any officer thereof. Any individual claiming benefits in any proceeding before the secretary of labor or a court may be represented by counsel or other duly authorized agent, but no such counsel or agents shall either charge or receive for such services more than an amount approved by the secretary of labor. Any person who violates any provision of this subsection shall, for each such offense, be fined not less than $50 nor more than $500, or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.

(c) No assignment of benefits; exemptions. No assignment, pledge or encumbrance of any right to benefits which are or may become due or payable under this act shall be valid; and such rights to benefits shall be exempt from levy, except in accordance with section 6331 of the federal internal revenue code of 1986, and shall be exempt from, execution, attachment, or any other remedy whatsoever provided for the collection of debt; and benefits received by an individual, so long as they are not mingled with other funds of the recipient, shall be exempt from any remedy whatsoever for the collection of all debts except debts incurred for necessaries furnished to such individual or such individual's spouse or dependents during the time when such individual was unemployed. No waiver of any exemption provided for in this subsection shall be valid.

(d) Support exception.