Senate Bill 1760
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1998 SB 1760
By Senator McKay
26-1085-98
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to unemployment compensation;
3 amending s. 1, ch. 97-29, Laws of Florida;
4 extending for an additional year a temporary
5 reduction in certain contribution rates for
6 specified employers; amending s. 443.111, F.S.;
7 extending for an additional year a temporary
8 increase in the maximum weekly and yearly
9 benefit amounts for unemployment compensation
10 benefits; specifying benefit years; providing
11 an effective date.
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13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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15 Section 1. Section 1 of chapter 97-29, Laws of
16 Florida, is amended to read:
17 Section 1. Notwithstanding section 443.131(3), Florida
18 Statutes, for the 1999 1998 calendar year or any quarter
19 thereof, the division shall subtract 0.5 percent from each
20 employer's assigned tax rate, except for those employers who
21 are assigned the initial rate or who have been assigned a
22 contribution rate of 5.4 percent or higher for more than 36
23 months. Notwithstanding section 443.131(2), Florida Statutes,
24 for the 1999 1998 calendar year, each employer whose
25 employment record has been chargeable with benefit payments
26 for less than eight calendar quarters shall pay contributions
27 at the initial rate of 2 percent.
28 Section 2. Subsection (3) and paragraph (a) of
29 subsection (5) of section 443.111, Florida Statutes, are
30 amended to read:
31 443.111 Payment of benefits.--
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1998 SB 1760
26-1085-98
1 (3) WEEKLY BENEFIT AMOUNT.--An individual's "weekly
2 benefit amount" shall be an amount equal to one twenty-sixth
3 of the total wages for insured work paid during that quarter
4 of the base period in which such total wages paid were the
5 highest, but not less than $32 or more than $250. For claims
6 with benefit years beginning July 1, 1998 1997, through
7 December 31, 1998 1997, an additional 5 percent of the weekly
8 benefit amount shall be added for the first 8 compensable
9 weeks of benefits paid, not to exceed $262. For benefit years
10 beginning January 1, 1999 1998, an individual's "weekly
11 benefit amount" shall be an amount equal to one twenty-sixth
12 of the total wages for insured work paid during that quarter
13 of the base period in which such total wages paid were the
14 highest, but not less than $32 or more than $275. For claims
15 with benefit years beginning January 1, 1999 1998, through
16 June 30, 1999 1998, an additional 5 percent of the weekly
17 benefit amount shall be added for the first 8 compensable
18 weeks of benefits paid, not to exceed $288. Such weekly
19 benefit amount, if not a multiple of $1, shall be rounded
20 downward to the nearest full dollar amount. The maximum weekly
21 benefit amount in effect at the time the claimant establishes
22 an individual weekly benefit amount shall be the maximum
23 benefit amount applicable throughout the claimant's benefit
24 year.
25 (5) DURATION OF BENEFITS.--
26 (a)1. Any otherwise eligible individual shall be
27 entitled during any benefit year to a total amount of benefits
28 equal to 25 percent of the total wages in the base period, not
29 to exceed $6,500. For claims with benefit years beginning July
30 1, 1998 1997, through December 31, 1998 1997, an additional
31 amount equal to 5 percent of the weekly benefit amount
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1998 SB 1760
26-1085-98
1 multiplied by 8 shall be added to the calculated total amount
2 of benefits, the sum of which may not exceed $6,596. For
3 benefit years beginning January 1, 1999 1998, any otherwise
4 eligible individual shall be entitled during any benefit year
5 to a total amount of benefits equal to 25 percent of the total
6 wages in the base period, not to exceed $7,150. For claims
7 with benefit years beginning January 1, 1999 1998, through
8 June 30, 1999 1998, an additional amount equal to 5 percent of
9 the weekly benefit amount multiplied by 8 shall be added to
10 the calculated total amount of benefits, the sum of which may
11 not exceed $7,254. However, such total amount of benefits, if
12 not a multiple of $1, shall be rounded downward to the nearest
13 full dollar amount. Such benefits shall be payable at a weekly
14 rate no greater than the weekly benefit amount.
15 2. For the purposes of this subsection, wages shall be
16 counted as "wages for insured work" for benefit purposes with
17 respect to any benefit year only if such benefit year begins
18 subsequent to the date on which the employing unit by whom
19 such wages were paid has satisfied the conditions of this
20 chapter with respect to becoming an employer.
21 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 1998.
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24 SENATE SUMMARY
25 Extends through the 1999 calendar year a reduction in the
contribution rate for unemployment compensation for
26 certain employers. Extends for an additional year certain
increases in the maximum weekly benefit amount for
27 unemployment compensation benefits.
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