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Washington Governor Christine Gregoire recently signed Engrossed House Bill 1091 and Senate Bill 5135 into law. As a result, most employers will have their rates reduced from the already announced 2011 employer tax rates.

Washington Employment Security Department Releases Fact Sheet

According to a fact sheet released by the Washington Employment Security Department (ESD):

Tax rates for 2011 will be reduced for 90 percent of Washington employers. In fact, about half of them will pay lower rates than in 2010. The reduction will save employers $300 million in 2011, with a total savings of about $360 million from 2011 through 2017.

Going into 2011, unemployment tax rates were projected to increase by an average of 36 percent due to widespread layoffs during the recession. Even employers with few or no layoffs faced high increases because the shared (social) costs of the insurance system had increased substantially. Meanwhile, Washington’s unemployment trust fund has remained among the healthiest in the country. This provided a unique opportunity to provide tax relief to employers without jeopardizing the benefits fund.

The new law caps the social-cost component of the unemployment tax and lowers the multipliers that set the social-cost tax rate for rate classes 1-20 (rate classes 21-40 were unchanged). [ESD] will send revised tax-rate notices to affected businesses in March.

Vision Payroll Will Use Revised Rates in First Quarter Returns

Once issued by the ESD, Vision Payroll will adjust the rates for its clients in Washington to reflect the revised rates.

The New York Department of Labor has announced the taxable wage base for 2011. The wage base will remain at $8,500 for 2011.

Employer Rates for 2011 Announced

Employer rates will go from a low of 1.5% to a high of 9.9%. The new employer rate is 4.1% for 2011. All these rates include the 0.075% re-employment tax.

Find Out the Wage Base for All States by Visiting the Vision Payroll Unemployment Taxable Wage Base Page

Contact Vision Payroll if you have any questions on New York unemployment taxable wage base or visit our Unemployment Taxable Wage Base page.

The New Hampshire Department of Economic Security (NHDES) has announced that because of the amount of unemployment benefits having been paid out and the solvency issue with the Unemployment Trust Fund, the NHDES will continue to invoke the 1.0% surcharge to all employers for all quarters of 2011. This 1.0% surcharge is comprised of the 0.5% Emergency Power under RSA282-A:84 and the 0.5% Emergency Surcharge under RSA282-a. Negative rated employers (employers whose benefit charges exceeded tax paid) will also continue to have a 1.5% added to their tax rates in addition to the 1.0% surcharge for all quarters of 2011.

Taxable Wage Base Has Also Increased

As previously announced, the Taxable Wage Base has also increased to $12,000 effective January 1, 2011 and will be increasing to $14,000 effective January 1, 2012.

2011 New Employer Rates Set

New Employer rates for all quarters of 2011 will be 3.7% (includes 1.0% surcharge).

Contact Vision Payroll for Further Information

Contact Vision Payroll if you have further questions on New Hampshire unemployment taxes.

The 2011 Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate was released last month. The Spanish equivalent, 2011 Formulario W-4(SP), Certificado de Exención de la Retención del Empleado, is now available.

February 16, 2011 Is Filing Deadline

Employees claiming exempt status must file 2011 Form W-4 or 2011 Formulario W-4(SP) with their employer by February 16, 2011 to continue to claim exempt status. Prior-year forms will no longer be valid as of that date. If an employee has not filed a 2011 form by February 16, 2011, the employer must start withholding income tax with the next paycheck.

Contact Vision Payroll for Further Information

Contact Vision Payroll if you have any further questions on 2011 Formulario W-4(SP).

An employer surcharge is not in effect for Q1 2011 in South Dakota.

UI Trust Fund Balance Determines if Surcharge Is in Effect

The surcharge automatically goes into effect when the UI Trust Fund balance is below $11 million at the end of any quarter. The balance was $26.4 million on December 31, 2010.

Higher Wage Base in Effect for 2011

As previously announced, the taxable wage base increased from $10,000 for 2010 to $11,000 for 2011.

Contact Vision Payroll for Further Information

Contact Vision Payroll for further questions on the South Dakota employer surcharge.

This week’s question comes from Christina, an HR director. We use Publication 1494 to determine the amount of wages exempt from levy. Publication 1494 is usually available in December for the following year. When will the 2011 Publication 1494 be released? Answer: Publication 1494, Tables for Figuring Amount Exempt from Levy on Wages, Salary, and Other Income (Forms 668-W(ACS), 668-W(c)(DO) and 668-W(ICS)), is used to calculate the amount of wages and other income exempt from levies for delinquent taxes and was recently released by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Use New Publication 1494 for Levies Issued in 2011

In addition to levies issued in 2011, employers use the revised amounts to calculate the exempt amount if the employee should provide a revised statement showing a change in filing status or exemptions. The amounts have increased slightly over the amounts used for levies issued in 2010.

Vision Payroll Can Assist in Publication 1494 Calculations

Contact Vision Payroll for assistance in automating the calculation of the exemption and levy amounts on employees’ paychecks.

The Arizona Department of Economic Security has announced the taxable wage base for 2011. The wage base will remain at $7,000 for 2011.

Some Tax Rates Adjusted Slightly for 2011

Employer rates will go from a low 0.02% for employers with a positive ratio of 13% or more to a high of 5.86% for employers with a negative ratio of 13% or more. The new employer rate remains at 2.00% for 2011.

Find Out the Wage Base for All States by Visiting the Vision Payroll Unemployment Taxable Wage Base Page

Contact Vision Payroll if you have any questions on Arizona unemployment taxable wage base or visit our Unemployment Taxable Wage Base page.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released an updated version of Publication 15-A, Employer’s Supplemental Tax Guide (Supplement to Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer’s Tax Guide) for use in 2011. Publication 15-A contains information on the following areas:

1. Who Are Employees?
2. Employee or Independent Contractor?
3. Employees of Exempt Organizations
4. Religious Exemptions and Special Rules for Ministers
5. Wages and Other Compensation
6. Sick Pay Reporting
7. Special Rules for Paying Taxes
8. Pensions and Annuities
9. Alternative Methods for Figuring Withholding
10. Tables for Withholding on Distributions of Indian Gaming Profits to Tribal Members

Additional Information provided in Publication 15-A

In addition, Publication 15-A provides information on What’s New, Reminders, and Useful Items.

Contact Vision Payroll Today

Contact Vision Payroll if you have any questions on Publication 15-A.

Employers, especially small and mid-sized companies, need to stay in compliance to flourish in the New Year. By knowing the business-critical HR practices that can help, employers can take the big first step toward staying in compliance.

Five Hot Areas Employers Must Address Now

1. Proof of Compliance
2. Misclassification of Workers
3. Recordkeeping Requirements
4. Health Care Reform
5. Workplace Technology

Learn the Best HR Practices for 2011 Now

To learn more about each of these areas, be sure to listen to Best HR Practices for 2011 in this month’s HRCast, a recording provided by our team of HR Pros and available exclusively on MyHRSupportCenter.

MyHRSupportCenter Provides Alerts, Best Practices, and HR Tools Every Day

Visit MyHRSupportCenter regularly, not only for our HRCasts, but also to get late-breaking compliance alerts, best practices to implement, and HR tools to use every day. If you haven’t yet signed up and would like a free trial of MyHRSupportCenter, contact Vision Payroll today.

This week’s question comes from Adrienne, a sales manager. I normally earn in excess of the FICA limit ($106,800 in 2010 and 2011). I know the social security withholding rate has been reduced for 2011. What is the maximum amount of social security withholding tax  (sometimes called FICA tax)for 2011? Answer: The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 (2010 Tax Act) reduced the rate for social security withholding tax (sometimes called FICA tax) from 6.2% to 4.2%. Since the wage base remains at $106,800, the maximum social security withholding tax for 2011 by one employer from one employee will be $4,485.60 ($106,800 X 4.2%).

Employer Withholding Rate Remains at 6.2%

There was no change in the rate of social security tax paid by an employer on an employee’s wages. Since the rate remains 6.2%, the maximum employer social security tax for 2011 by one employer for one employee will be $6,621.60 ($106,800 X 6.2%).

Employees May Have More Withholding if They Have Two or More Jobs

The wage base is generally applied on an employer-by-employer basis. Employees who earn more than $106,800 combined at two or more jobs could have social security withholding in excess of $4,485.60 in 2011. Withholding will stop at a job only when the employee reaches the maximum at each individual job. There are exceptions to this rule for situations such as common paymasters and successor employers.

Employees Can Receive Credit on Form 1040 for Excess FICA Withholding

Even though the employer must pay the full tax and withhold it from the employee, amounts withheld above the maximum can be claimed as a credit on Form 1040. For tax year 2010, enter any excess FICA tax withheld by two or more employers on line 69 of Form 1040 and reduce your balance due or increase your overpayment by the amount of the excess.

Contact Vision Payroll for More Information on Social Security Withholding Tax

Contact Vision Payroll if you have any questions on social security withholding tax or visit our Important Facts and Figures page for further information.