Thomas & Thorngren

Sometimes lessons can be learned by observing mistakes made by other companies.  With respect to unemployment appeals hearings, many things can go wrong, regardless of the merits of the case, preventing a company from securing a favorable decision.  Recently I read a ruling by the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland, relating to an unemployment [...]

On May 6, 2010 the U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report to Congress on unemployment insurance trust funds.  The GAO report addresses the insolvency of these funds and possible options to improve their financial condition.  The combined balance in all state UI trust funds, net of federal loans, is now a negative number (-$15.4 [...]

A tax credit is available for Michigan employers, to partially offset state unemployment taxes.  This credit is provided under Michigan law to ease the burden on employers who have to paid additional FUTA taxes for 2009 due to outstanding loans from the federal government.  The credit is the lesser of either:  50% of the additional [...]

The Iowa Workforce Development has recently made some changes that will impact your second quarter of 2010 tax filing. First, as a reminder, the taxable wage base has increased from $23,700 in 2009 to $24,500 for 2010. Effective April 1, 2010, the UI account number format has been revised for all Iowa employers.  Although similar, [...]

Regardless of your industry or your company’s financial condition, your state unemployment tax rates are higher this year.  We have all seen the news about the loss of jobs during the last twenty-four months, resulting in an abnormal number of unemployment claims being filed.  Further, the duration of claims has increased because of the difficulty [...]

As with many other states, Vermont has passed legislation in order to generate more revenue in an attempt to replenish their depleted trust fund balance. The Vermont Department of Labor has announced several reporting changes effective January 1, 2010.  First, the UI taxable wage base has been increased from $8,000 to $10,000.  This change will [...]

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development (“DWD”) continues to delay sending out 2010 unemployment tax rate notices because of legislation that is pending in the Indiana Legislature.  This legislation would delay an increase in the Indiana UI taxable wage limitation from $7,000 to $9,500 until 2011.  The legislation would also delay a change in UI [...]

This is a follow-up to our Service Bulletin dated March 12, 2010. Today the Hawaii Department of Labor & Industrial Relations notified us that the unemployment insurance taxable wage base for 2010 has been reduced to $34,900 by the legislation signed last week.  Please feel free to contact us if there are any questions. Click [...]

Governor Linda Lingle signed legislation on March 11, 2010 that lowers the increase in state unemployment taxes for 2010 and 2011.  Nevertheless, the increase is still historic in proportion.  For 2009, Hawaii UI taxes averaged $90 per employee.  The new law (H.B. 2169) reduces the average UI taxes for 2010 from $1,070 per employee to [...]

Legislation signed on February 4, 2010 (House Bill 4077) has prevented the highest possible tax rate table from triggering into effect for 2010.  As a result of this bill, tax rate schedule E, which was in effect for 2009, remains in effect for 2010.  Tax rates range from 1.26% to 12.27% under schedule E (not [...]