Vision Payroll

In Connecticut, the average number of workers filing for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits since 2007 has grown from 40,000 to approximately 130,000. In 2009 and 2010, UI benefit payouts greatly exceeded UI tax revenues. In 2011, UI benefit payouts will continue to exceed tax revenues by a substantial margin.

Funding Imbalance Has Led to Insolvency

Because of this funding imbalance, Connecticut’s Unemployment Trust Fund became insolvent on October 13, 2009.

Connecticut Borrowed from the US Department of Labor

In order to continue paying UI benefits to unemployed workers, as required by law, Connecticut began borrowing funds from the US Department of Labor (DOL). To date, Connecticut has borrowed approximately $650 million and the Labor Department projects that total borrowing could approach $1 billion over the next two to three years.

ARRA Waived Interest Through 2010

Generally, federal loans carry interest, but the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) contains a provision waiving interest on UI trust fund loans through 2010. Connecticut will still have substantial loan balances outstanding in 2011 and beyond. Under federal law, employers are required to pay interest to the federal government beginning in 2011.

Interest Collected Through Special Assessments

Under Connecticut law, interest payments from employers are collected through annual Special Assessments, excluding those entities that reimburse the state dollar-for-dollar for the costs of benefits paid to former employees. The first annual Special Assessment date for Connecticut employers is August 1, 2011 with the payment due by August 31, 2011.

Special Assessment Estimated at $40 Million

Connecticut’s total Special Assessment for 2011 is estimated to be approximately $40 million. Based on this estimate, the average cost per employee will be roughly $40. For example, a business that employs ten workers can expect a Special Assessment bill of approximately $400 in August 2011. The 2011 Special Assessment figures are estimates and, therefore, subject to change based on variables such as the actual amounts borrowed and the total number of active employers as of August 2011.

FUTA Tax Rate Expected to increase for 2011

In addition to interest costs, Connecticut and other states with federal loans outstanding for two consecutive years must make additional payments into the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) system to pay down the loan principal. Therefore, the effective FUTA tax rate for calendar year 2011, payable in January 2012, will increase from 0.8% to 1.1%.

Additional FUTA Tax to Be Applied To Loan Principal

The additional FUTA tax collected, approximately $21 per employee, will be applied to the state’s outstanding loan balance – thereby reducing the loan principal.

Contact Vision Payroll Today

Contact Vision Payroll if you have any questions on Connecticut payroll processing.

The Connecticut Department of Labor has announced the taxable wage base for 2011. The wage base will remain at $15,000 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 Connecticut unemployment taxable wage base or visit our Unemployment Taxable Wage Base page.

This week’s question comes from Aaron, a business owner. We have several employees who work in Massachusetts, but live in neighboring states. Do I need to withhold state tax on wages paid to non-residents? Answer: Massachusetts requires employers to withhold state tax from wages paid to non-residents for services performed in Massachusetts. Most states have similar requirements that employers withhold tax on non-residents, but some states do not require withholding until a certain time or dollar limits are reached. Additionally, some states have setup reciprocal agreements with other states that allow the employees to be taxed in their home states. Massachusetts (and many other states) has special rules for unique occupations such as athletes, entertainers, and flight crewmembers. Contact Vision Payroll for further information on your unique situation.

In Notice 2010-48, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provided administrative “relief to sponsors of defined contribution pre-approved plans (i.e., master and prototype (‘M&P’) and volume submitter (‘VS’) plans).” Notice 2010-48 extended the following from April 30, 2010 to July 30, 2010:

• Deadline for restating affected pre-approved defined contribution plans,
• Deadline for submitting determination letters to the Service, and
• The § 401(b) remedial amendment period with respect to these plans.

The notice lists how a plan is considered in an affected area and lists the eight affected areas, all of which received previous relief from the IRS. The areas are the following:

1. Connecticut
2. Tennessee
3. Alabama
4. Mississippi
5. New Jersey
6. Massachusetts
7. Rhode Island
8. West Virginia

Contact Vision Payroll for further information on Notice 2010-48.

Due to the severe storms and flooding in Connecticut on March 12, 2010, President Barack Obama declared the following counties a federal disaster area: Fairfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London and Windham. Therefore, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced recently that it will waive failure to deposit penalties for employment and excise taxes due after March 11, 2010 and before March 30, 2010 as long as the deposits were made by March 29, 2010. In addition, affected taxpayers had until May 11, 2010 to file most tax returns. Contact Vision Payroll if you were affected by the severe storms and flooding and need further information on the relief provided by the IRS.

On May 5, 2010, Governor M. Jodi Rell of the State of Connecticut signed into law Public Act 10-12, An Act Implementing the Recommendations of the Joint Enforcement Commission on Employee Misclassification. Under the law, effective October 1, 2010, the penalty for misclassifying workers as independent contractors goes from $300 per violation to $300 per day per violation. Additionally, the failure to properly classify workers with the intent to injure, defraud or deceive the state of Connecticut (in addition to insurance companies) by failing to pay workers’ compensation assessments or Second Injury Fund assessments is now a class D felony. Given the severe penalties for misclassifying workers in Connecticut, as well as increased enforcement at both the state and federal levels, Vision Payroll strongly recommends employers consult with a competent labor law attorney to assure compliance with federal and state worker classification laws.