SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the Department of Labor and Workforce Development shall:

            1)Conduct a review and analysis of the contribution to the unemployment trust fund established pursuant to Chapter 151A of the General Laws by employers having various numbers of employees, and determine the relative financial burdens imposed upon them according to those numbers.  In addition, said review and analysis shall evaluate, to the extent possible, any adverse impacts upon marginal rates of employment caused by the levels of assessment currently employed by Section 14 of said chapter.

            2)Review and analyze the rate schedule contained in said chapter to determine its continued viability and sustainability as a means of assessing employer contributions to the unemployment trust contained in said chapter.

            3)Based upon said reviews and analyses, develop recommendations for:

                a. A rate schedule for employer contributions which is sustainable and avoids the imposition of undue or avoidable hardships upon employers and levels of employment in the Commonwealth, and maximizes the ability for employers to compete nationally and internationally. 

                b. Modifications to the assessments charged against employers with fewer than 100 employees so as to increase the available resources available for job creation and to increase rates of employment in the Commonwealth.

            In carrying out the provisions of this act, the department shall conduct not less than three public hearings in geographically diverse regions of the Commonwealth, and shall consult with individuals and organizations representing employers, organized labor, not-unionized employees, and academic institutions with expertise in economics and competitiveness.

            The department shall report the findings and recommendations developed hereunder to the clerks of the House and Senate not later than nine months following the passage of this act.