2008 Employer Seminars Intro to: ECORE

2008 Employer SeminarsIntro to: ECORE

Roger Holmes – Benefits Bureau Chief Roger.Holmes@labor.idaho.gov 332-3577 ext 3233 Craig Soelberg – Wage & Hour Compliance Office Craig.Soelberg@labor.idaho.gov 332-3570 ext 3922 John Taylor, Operations Manager John.Taylor@labor.idaho.gov 332-3576 ext 3258 Robert Courval, ECORE Project Manager Robert.Courval@labor.idaho.gov Unemployment Insurance Division

134.4M US covered workers +2.3% 654,000 Idaho covered workers +5.5% 7.62 million employers were subject +2% 51,000 +2% 16.9 million initial claims filed +3% 95,412 +15% 7.6 million received a first benefit check +7% 45,360 received a first benefit check +10% $32.4 billion paid in benefits +7% $123,992,000 +9% $287.71 average weekly benefit amount +4% $254.97 +5% 15.3 weeks - average duration +1% 11.6 +3% Unemployment Insurance Facts Calendar Year 2007

Idaho Department of Labor Our 25 Local Offices serve Business and Job Seeker Customers!

Recruiting Employees for Business Referring Workers to Jobs and Training Workforce Services

For Business Customers Online posting of job openings Referral of qualified candidates Knowledgeable staff to assist with recruiting Office space for hiring events Business development workshops Local employer committees offering education & networking sessions No fees Workforce Services

For Job Seeker Customers Access Job Listings Career Guidance Job Search Workshops Computers, faxes, and copies for job search purposes Services for Veterans Youth Services Layoff assistance Workforce Services

Labor Market Information www.lmi.idaho.gov Workforce Services

Labor Market Information Unemployment rate information Workforce trends Wage Data Demographic information Industry Statistics Workforce Services

Employee Training Workforce Development Training Fund Workforce Investment Act Funds www.labor.idaho.gov Workforce Services

Calendar of Eventswww.labor.idaho.gov Visit one of our 25 local offices statewide For more information…

Unemployment Insurance Benefit Payment Systems Unemployment Insurance Benefits Bureau Roger Holmes, Bureau Chief Roger.Holmes@labor.idaho.gov

First four of the last five completed quarters. (Current quarter and the most recently completed quarter have not been reported.) What is a Base Period?

Chargeability and Liability Two Kinds of Employers: • Cost Reimbursement, and • Experience Rated

Determine The Base Period The Major Base Experience Rated Employer (MBE) The cause of the final separation from the MBE How is Chargeability Decided?

For profit entities Tax rate based on employer’s experience Can be relieved of charges Experience Rated Employers

Experience-rated employer Paid the most wages during the base period Not always the most recent employer What is the Major Base Employer (MBE)?

Non-profit organizations (501c3) Government Agencies schools, hospitals, cities and counties, etc Do not pay a quarterly tax Reimburse the fund for benefits paid ALWAYS liable Cost Reimbursement Employers

CURRENT BASE PERIOD TOTAL BP WAGES EMPLOYER NAME Jan-Mar 06 Wages Apr-Jun 06 Wages Jul-Sept 06 Wages Oct-Dec 06 Wages ABC (Exp Rated) MBE 3,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 18,000 GHI (Exp Rated) 2,200 5,000 5,000 5,000 17,200 TOTAL QTRLY WAGES 5,200 10,000 10,000 10,000 35,200

Claimant files a claim via Internet Idaho Department of Labor office Employer Notification letter sent (Quit, Discharge, or Lack of Work) Local office staff follow-up Phone call within 7 business days Filing and Notification

Discharge Employer is the moving party Employer must prove misconduct Employer has the Burden of Proof Quit Claimant is the moving party Claimant must show good cause Claimant has the Burden of Proof Burden of Proof

Reason for quitting was employment connected Quit was for good cause Attempt was made to remedy the situation before quitting To be eligible the claimant must show: Quit Issues

Willful disregard of employer’s interest Deliberate violation of reasonable rules Disregard for standard of behavior Discharge Issues Determining misconduct Reason for discharge must be:

If the claimant is separated for reasons other than lack of work, let us know. Issue a handbook or policy statement to each employee Issue written warnings signed by employee & have witnesses Have consistent methods for conveying policy changes Protect Your Account

Deal with problems the same way for all employees Tell IDOL about the last incident causing a discharge Respond to IDOL requests for information in a timely manner – 48 hour response deadline Protect Your Account

Copies of relevant written policies Signed acknowledgement forms Warnings, verbal & written First person witness statements Supporting documents timecards, attendance records, medical reports, etc. Proving Your Case Provide Documentation:

Must be filed within 14 days of the mail date State this is a protest Must be in writing and signed by an interested party Include your business name, address and phone number, the claimants name and SSN How To File a Protest

You can: Hand-deliver Mail Fax the protest to an IDOL office or the Appeals Bureau How To File a Protest

Employer provided a copy of relevant documents Advise Appeals Bureau of witnesses Call in to Conference Connection Have appropriate parties in attendance Have questions for claimant prepared How Does an Appeal Work?

ALWAYS! When Should I Attend a Hearing?

Protest Process Local Office Determination Appeals Bureau Industrial Commission Idaho Supreme Court

Unemployment Insurance Tax and Benefit Fraud Unemployment Insurance Compliance Bureau Don Arnold, Bureau Chief Don.Arnold@labor.idaho.gov John Taylor, Operations Manager John.Taylor@labor.idaho.gov

We strive to ensure the integrity of the unemployment insurance trust fund. Employer Compliance Claimant Compliance Collections UI Compliance Bureau

Trust Fund Create a fair playing field Educate and Assist Employer Compliance Collections Investigations Audits Seminars Handbooks Web – labor.idaho.gov

The number of covered employers in Idaho increases: 2.6% in 2003 4.5% in 2004 6.4% in 2005 2.6% in 2006 3.5% In 2007 Currently Idaho has >51,200 covered employers 2007 issues resolved =24,748 Employer Compliance

Trust Fund Benefits Fraud & Overpayments Claimant Compliance Benefit Accuracy Audits Fraud Investigations Overpayment Establishments Recovery

$123,992,000 benefits paid in 2007 $6,695,881 detectable/recoverable overpayments annually $4,162,788 actually detected in 2007 $3,943,696 recovered in 2007 17th in Nation for Detection Claimant Compliance

Misrepresenting work search efforts Misreporting weekly earnings Failing to report a return to work or subsequent quit Misrepresenting able and available issues Employer Coercion/Employee Agreement Common Benefits Fraud

Online application is administered by Access Idaho Same system for online services provided by other government agencies Linked to Idaho Department of Labor’s system Online Reporting

Benefits to online reporting Can easily make status changes Saves reports for three years Can upload wage files Will import all employees reported on the previous quarter Computes excess wages and tax Option to pay online when filing Receive a transaction number to confirm successful filing Online Reporting

Benefits to online reporting May associate more than one unemployment insurance account to your username May upload wage data for multiple employers in one file May pay online separately for each report filed or may make one payment for multiple reports Online Reporting

Primary purpose is to enforce child support orders on wages Also used to prevent UI benefits fraud Location and collection efforts Mandatory to report new hires within 20 days of hire If a rehire within 12 months of lay off, then not required to report Report by: faxing W4 to 332-7411or online athttps://labor.idaho.gov/applications/newhire New Hire Reporting

Employer Contact and Online REporting ECORE

Report employees who are separated View Statement of Benefit Charges View current claims Correspondence Inbox Links for Appeals, Pay UI tax ECORE

2008 Employer Seminars Intro to: ECORE