§383-29.5  Benefits during training.  (a)  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, no otherwise eligible individual shall be denied benefits for any week because that individual is in training approved under section 236(a)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974, because an individual left work to enter the training (provided the work left is not suitable employment), or because of the application to any week in training of provisions in this chapter (or any applicable federal unemployment compensation law) relating to availability for work, active search for work, or refusal to accept work.

     (b)  For purposes of this section, the term "suitable employment" means with respect to an individual, work of a substantially equal or higher skill level than the individual's past adversely affected employment (as defined for purposes of the Trade Act of 1974), and wages for such work at not less than eighty per cent of the individual's average weekly wage as determined for the purposes of the Trade Act of 1974. [L 1982, c 58, §6; am L 1983, c 124, §10]