617.18—Disqualifications.
(a) State law applies.
Except as stated in paragraph (b) of this section and § 617.55(b), an individual shall not be paid TRA for any week of unemployment the individual is or would be disqualified to receive UI under the disqualification provisions of the applicable State law, including the provisions of the applicable State law which apply to EB claimants and which are consistent with section 202(a)(3) of the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970.
(b) Disqualification of trainees—
(1) State law inapplicable.
A State law shall not be applied to disqualify an individual from receiving either UI or TRA because the individual:
(ii)
Refuses work to which the individual has been referred by the State agency, if such work would require the individual to discontinue training, or if added to hours of training would occupy the individual more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week, except that paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section shall not apply to an individual who is ineligible under paragraph (b)(2) of this section; or
(iii)
Quits work, if the individual was employed in work which was not suitable (as defined in § 617.22(a)(1) ), and it was reasonable and necessary for the individual to quit work to begin or continue training approved for the individual under § 617.22(a).
(2) Trainees ineligible.
(i)
An individual who, without justifiable cause, fails to begin participation in a training program which is approved under § 617.22(a), or ceases to participate in such training, or for whom a waiver is revoked pursuant to § 617.19(c), shall not be eligible for basic TRA, or any other payment under this part 617, for the week in which such failure, cessation, or revocation occurred, or any succeeding week thereafter until the week in which the individual begins or resumes participation in a training program that is approved under § 617.22(a).
(ii)
For purposes of this section and other provisions of this Part 617, the following definitions shall be used:
(A) Failed to begin participation.
A worker shall be determined to have failed to begin participation in a training program when the worker fails to attend all scheduled training classes and other training activities in the first week of the training program, without justifiable cause.
(B) Ceased participation.
A worker shall be determined to have ceased participation in a training program when the worker fails to attend all scheduled training classes and other training activities scheduled by the training institution in any week of the training program, without justifiable cause.
(C) Justifiable cause.
For the purposes of paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the term “justifiable cause” means such reasons as would justify an individual's conduct when measured by conduct expected of a reasonable individual in like circumstances, including but not limited to reasons beyond the individual's control and reasons related to the individual's capability to participate in or complete an approved training program.
(c) Disqualification while in OJT.
In no case may an individual receive TRA for any week with respect to which the worker is engaged in on-the-job training.