Extended unemployment compensation heads to Crist for approval

Update on this story here:  https://browardnetonline.com/2010/05/crist-signs-unemployment-benefits-legislation/

The Florida House passed a measure that provides for an extension of temporary unemployment compensation (UC) for Floridians by providing 14 additional weeks of unemployment compensation benefits. This extension helps more than 100,000 unemployed Floridians and brings in more than $128 million to Florida coffers. Senate Bill (SB) 1736 passed the Florida House this afternoon.

“This bill will give unemployed Floridians help at a time when they need it most,” said Representative Dave Murzin (R-Pensacola). “The measure provides unemployed Floridians an extension on their unemployment compensation so that they can care for their families and keep their financial boat afloat as they continue to look for work.  To that end, the bill also links individuals on unemployment compensation with available job opportunities in the state’s job database by requiring them to register when they file a claim for unemployment.  This is a jobs for Florida bill and is a significant aid to Florida’s economic well-being,” concluded Murzin.

SB 1736 makes several changes to the existing law including:

• Reduces the administrative costs of the UC system by requiring employers to timely respond, within 20 days, to claims against their accounts by their former employees – to verify whether or not an employee was fired or quit – thus reducing overpayments to unqualified unemployed individuals, and reducing the “socialized costs” to all Florida businesses.
  • Every other state but one has a similar response deadline.
  • This requirement is estimated by the Agency for Workforce Innovation (AWI) to reduce such costs by $20 million a year.
  • Takes effect July 1, 2010, so AWI may inform employers of the new requirements.

• Updates enforcement provisions related to delinquent UC tax collections, by conforming Florida’s UC tax liens to federal law.

• Imposes reasonable disincentives on businesses that routinely submit erroneous, incorrect or incomplete quarterly reports to the Florida Department of Revenue (DOR), or that fail to comply with the current law to submit the information in the required format.
  • $50 or 10% of any tax due, whichever is greater, but no more than $300 per report.
  • Waived if complete report filed within 30 days, but not more than once during a 12-month period.
  • For electronic reporting, raises penalty from $10 to $50 and $1 for each employee (may be waived if electronic filing requirement waived in advance).

• Moves UC tax calculation date from June 30 to September 30;

• This will have the effect of business tax rates more closely reflecting the state of the UC Trust Fund.

The bill now moves to the Governor for his signature.

Related posts:

1. New extended unemployment compensation available in Florida
2. UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION BILL PASSES FINANCE & TAX COUNCIL, HEADS TO FLORIDA HOUSE FLOOR
3. Crist signs unemployment benefits legislation
4. Unemployment benefits extended in Florida….again
5. Governor Crist Signs Legislation to Reduce Unemployment Compensation Tax

Short URL: https://browardnetonline.com/?p=7728

Posted by Andrea Freygang on Apr 28 2010. Filed under Broward County, Employment, Fort Lauderdale, Local news, Money, Tallahassee. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry