Denial of benefits to individuals taking approved training prohibited; ineligibility of certain students; benefits payable to individuals taking approved training not to be charged to experience rating record of base period employers

(1) Notwithstanding any of the other provisions of this Chapter, no otherwise eligible individual shall be denied benefits for any week because he is in training with the approval of the Administrator, nor shall such individual be denied benefits with respect to any week in which he is in training with the approval of the Administrator by reason of the application of provisions in R.S. 23:1600(3), relating to availability for work and the provisions of R.S. 23:1601(3), relating to failure, without good cause, either to apply for available, suitable work when so directed by the Administrator or to accept suitable work when offered him, or to return to his customary self-employment (if any) when so directed by the Administrator. (2) An individual, except as provided in Subsection (1) of this section, will be deemed unavailable for work in any week in which it is found that the individual is attending a regularly established school, college, university, hospital, or training school (excluding, however, night school or part-time training courses, vocational technical schools and apprenticeship classes), or is in any vacation period intervening between regular school terms during which he is a student of any such regularly established educational institution, hospital, or training school. However, these provisions do not apply to any individual who, subsequent to his enrollment in and while attending a regularly established school, has been regularly employed and upon becoming unemployed makes an effort to secure work and holds himself available for suitable work with his last employer, or holds himself available for any other employment deemed suitable. If it is found that any individual received benefits who was not eligible therefor by reason of having resumed the status of a student at the end of a vacation period, such individual will be liable to repay a sum equal to the benefits thus received. (3) Notwithstanding any provision of the law to the contrary, for the purposes of R.S. 23:1536 any benefits paid to individuals, who are in approved training with the approval of the administrator, shall not be charged to the experience rating record of base period employers.