Florida Senate - 2010                                    SB 1666
       
       
       
       By Senator Garcia
       
       
       
       
       40-01940B-10                                          20101666__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to unemployment compensation;
    3         reviving, readopting, and amending s. 443.1117, F.S.;
    4         providing for retroactive application; establishing
    5         temporary state extended benefits for weeks of
    6         unemployment; amending definitions; providing for
    7         state extended benefits for certain weeks and for
    8         periods of high unemployment; providing for
    9         applicability of s. 443.1117, F.S.; amending s.
   10         443.1217, F.S.; increasing the amount of an employee’s
   11         wages that are exempt from the employer’s contribution
   12         to the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund, with a
   13         reversion to current law after a certain date;
   14         amending s. 443.131, F.S.; providing that the positive
   15         adjustment factor begins on a certain date, with a
   16         reversion to current law after a certain date;
   17         providing for an assessment on employers to pay the
   18         forecasted interest on advances received from the
   19         Federal Government to pay unemployment benefits;
   20         requiring the Revenue Estimating Conference to
   21         calculate interest based on certain factors by a date
   22         certain; requiring an assessment by a date certain;
   23         providing a formula for calculating the employer
   24         interest assessment rate and the amount to be paid by
   25         each employer; providing for a separate collection of
   26         the assessment by a tax collection service provider;
   27         naming an account to hold interest collected until
   28         payment is directed; providing for a suspension or
   29         termination of assessment under certain circumstances;
   30         providing credit for interest funds collected before
   31         suspension or termination; providing for severability
   32         of provisions that interfere with federal interest
   33         relief or federal tax credit; amending s. 443.141;
   34         F.S.; providing for retroactive applicability;
   35         providing a schedule of employer payments for 2010 and
   36         2011; providing for penalties, interest, and fees on
   37         delinquent contributions; providing an appropriation;
   38         providing that the act fulfills an important state
   39         interest; providing for retroactive application;
   40         providing an effective date.
   41  
   42  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   43  
   44         Section 1. Notwithstanding the expiration date contained in
   45  section 4 of chapter 2009-99, Laws of Florida, operating
   46  retroactive to January 2, 2010, and expiring February 27, 2010,
   47  section 443.1117, Florida Statutes, is revived, readopted, and
   48  amended to read:
   49         443.1117 Temporary extended benefits.—
   50         (1) APPLICABILITY OF EXTENDED BENEFITS STATUTE.—Except when
   51  the result is inconsistent with the other provisions of this
   52  section, the provisions of s. 443.1115(3), (4), (6), and (7)
   53  apply to all claims covered by this section.
   54         (2) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this section, the
   55  term:
   56         (a) “Regular benefits” and “extended benefits” have the
   57  same meaning as in s. 443.1115.
   58         (b) “Eligibility period” means the period consisting of the
   59  weeks in an individual’s benefit year or emergency benefit
   60  period which begin in an extended benefit period and, if the
   61  benefit year or emergency benefit period ends within that
   62  extended benefit period, any subsequent weeks beginning in that
   63  period.
   64         (c) “Emergency benefits” means Emergency Unemployment
   65  Compensation paid pursuant to Pub. L. No. 110-252, Pub. L. No.
   66  110-449, and Pub. L. No. 111-5, Pub. L. No. 111-92, and Pub. L.
   67  No. 111-118.
   68         (d) “Extended benefit period” means a period that:
   69         1. Begins with the third week after a week for which there
   70  is a state “on” indicator; and
   71         2. Ends with any of the following weeks, whichever occurs
   72  later:
   73         a. The third week after the first week for which there is a
   74  state “off” indicator;
   75         b. The 13th consecutive week of that period.
   76  
   77  However, an extended benefit period may not begin by reason of a
   78  state “on” indicator before the 14th week after the end of a
   79  prior extended benefit period that was in effect for this state.
   80         (e) “Emergency benefit period” means the period during
   81  which an individual receives emergency benefits as defined in
   82  paragraph (c).
   83         (f) “Exhaustee” means an individual who, for any week of
   84  unemployment in her or his eligibility period:
   85         1. Has received, before that week, all of the regular
   86  benefits and emergency benefits, if any, available under this
   87  chapter or any other law, including dependents’ allowances and
   88  benefits payable to federal civilian employees and ex
   89  servicemembers under 5 U.S.C. ss. 8501-8525, in the current
   90  benefit year or emergency benefit period that includes that
   91  week. For the purposes of this subparagraph, an individual has
   92  received all of the regular benefits and emergency benefits, if
   93  any, available although, as a result of a pending appeal for
   94  wages paid for insured work which were not considered in the
   95  original monetary determination in the benefit year, she or he
   96  may subsequently be determined to be entitled to added regular
   97  benefits;
   98         2. Had a benefit year which expired before that week, and
   99  was paid no, or insufficient, wages for insured work on the
  100  basis of which she or he could establish a new benefit year that
  101  includes that week; and
  102         3.a. Has no right to unemployment benefits or allowances
  103  under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act or other federal
  104  laws as specified in regulations issued by the United States
  105  Secretary of Labor; and
  106         b. Has not received and is not seeking unemployment
  107  benefits under the unemployment compensation law of Canada; but
  108  if an individual is seeking those benefits and the appropriate
  109  agency finally determines that she or he is not entitled to
  110  benefits under that law, she or he is considered an exhaustee.
  111         (g) “State ‘on’ indicator” means, with respect to weeks of
  112  unemployment beginning on or after February 1, 2009, and ending
  113  on or before January 30, 2010 December 12, 2009, the occurrence
  114  of a week in which the average total unemployment rate,
  115  seasonally adjusted, as determined by the United States
  116  Secretary of Labor, for the period consisting of the most recent
  117  3 months for which data for all states are published by the
  118  United States Department of Labor:
  119         1. Equals or exceeds 110 percent of the average of those
  120  rates for the corresponding 3-month period ending in each of the
  121  preceding 2 calendar years; and
  122         2. Equals or exceeds 6.5 percent.
  123         (h) “High unemployment period” means, with respect to weeks
  124  of unemployment beginning on or after February 1, 2009, and
  125  ending on or before January 30, 2010 December 12, 2009, any week
  126  in which the average total unemployment rate, seasonally
  127  adjusted, as determined by the United States Secretary of Labor,
  128  for the period consisting of the most recent 3 months for which
  129  data for all states are published by the United States
  130  Department of Labor:
  131         1. Equals or exceeds 110 percent of the average of those
  132  rates for the corresponding 3-month period ending in each of the
  133  preceding 2 calendar years; and
  134         2. Equals or exceeds 8 percent.
  135         (i) “State ‘off’ indicator” means the occurrence of a week
  136  in which there is no state “on” indicator or which does not
  137  constitute a high unemployment period.
  138         (3) TOTAL EXTENDED BENEFIT AMOUNT.—Except as provided in
  139  subsection (4) (5):
  140         (a) For any week for which there is an “on” indicator
  141  pursuant to paragraph (2)(g), the total extended benefit amount
  142  payable to an eligible individual for her or his applicable
  143  benefit year is the lesser of:
  144         1. Fifty percent of the total regular benefits payable
  145  under this chapter in the applicable benefit year; or
  146         2. Thirteen times the weekly benefit amount payable under
  147  this chapter for a week of total unemployment in the applicable
  148  benefit year.
  149         (b) For any high unemployment period as defined in
  150  paragraph (2)(h), the total extended benefit amount payable to
  151  an eligible individual for her or his applicable benefit year is
  152  the lesser of:
  153         1. Eighty percent of the total regular benefits payable
  154  under this chapter in the applicable benefit year; or
  155         2. Twenty times the weekly benefit amount payable under
  156  this chapter for a week of total unemployment in the applicable
  157  benefit year.
  158         (4) EFFECT ON TRADE READJUSTMENT.—Notwithstanding any other
  159  provision of this chapter, if the benefit year of an individual
  160  ends within an extended benefit period, the number of weeks of
  161  extended benefits the individual is entitled to receive in that
  162  extended benefit period for weeks of unemployment beginning
  163  after the end of the benefit year, except as provided in this
  164  section, is reduced, but not to below zero, by the number of
  165  weeks for which the individual received, within that benefit
  166  year, trade readjustment allowances under the Trade Act of 1974,
  167  as amended.
  168         Section 2. The provisions of s. 443.1117, Florida Statutes,
  169  as revived, readopted, and amended by this act, apply only to
  170  claims for weeks of unemployment, in which an exhaustee
  171  establishes entitlement to extended benefits pursuant to that
  172  section which are established for the period between February
  173  22, 2009, and February 27, 2010.
  174         Section 3. Subsection (1) and paragraph (a) of subsection
  175  (2) of section 443.1217, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  176         443.1217 Wages.—
  177         (1) The wages subject to this chapter include all
  178  remuneration for employment, including commissions, bonuses,
  179  back pay awards, and the cash value of all remuneration paid in
  180  any medium other than cash. The reasonable cash value of
  181  remuneration in any medium other than cash must be estimated and
  182  determined in accordance with rules adopted by the Agency for
  183  Workforce Innovation or the state agency providing tax
  184  collection services. The wages subject to this chapter include
  185  tips or gratuities received while performing services that
  186  constitute employment and are included in a written statement
  187  furnished to the employer under s. 6053(a) of the Internal
  188  Revenue Code of 1954. As used in this section only, the term
  189  “employment” includes services constituting employment under any
  190  employment security law of another state or the Federal
  191  Government.
  192         (2) For the purpose of determining an employer’s
  193  contributions, the following wages are exempt from this chapter:
  194         (a) That part of remuneration paid to an individual by an
  195  employer or his or her predecessor for employment during a
  196  calendar year in excess of:
  197         1. Beginning January 1, 2010, the first $7,000 of
  198  remuneration paid to the individual during that calendar year,
  199  unless that part of the remuneration is subject to a tax, under
  200  a federal law imposing the tax, against which credit may be
  201  taken for contributions required to be paid into a state
  202  unemployment fund.
  203         2. Beginning January 1, 2012, the first $8,500 of
  204  remuneration paid to the individual by the employer or his or
  205  her predecessor during that calendar year, unless that part of
  206  the remuneration is subject to a tax, under a federal law
  207  imposing the tax, against which credit may be taken for
  208  contributions required to be paid into a state unemployment
  209  fund. As used in this section only, the term employment
  210  includes services constituting employment under any employment
  211  security law of another state or of the Federal Government.
  212         3. Beginning January 1, 2015, the part of remuneration paid
  213  to an individual by an employer for employment during a calendar
  214  year in excess of the first $7,000 of remuneration paid to the
  215  individual during that calendar year, unless that part of the
  216  remuneration is subject to a tax, under a federal law imposing
  217  the tax, against which credit may be taken for contributions
  218  required to be paid into a state unemployment fund is exempt
  219  from this chapter.
  220         Section 4. Paragraph (e) of subsection (3) of section
  221  443.131, Florida Statutes, is amended, and subsections (5) and
  222  (6) are added to that section, to read:
  223         443.131 Contributions.—
  224         (3) VARIATION OF CONTRIBUTION RATES BASED ON BENEFIT
  225  EXPERIENCE.—
  226         (e) Assignment of variations from the standard rate.—For
  227  the calculation of contribution rates effective January 1, 2010,
  228  and thereafter:
  229         1. The tax collection service provider shall assign a
  230  variation from the standard rate of contributions for each
  231  calendar year to each eligible employer. In determining the
  232  contribution rate, varying from the standard rate to be assigned
  233  each employer, adjustment factors computed under sub
  234  subparagraphs a.-d. are shall be added to the benefit ratio.
  235  This addition shall be accomplished in two steps by adding a
  236  variable adjustment factor and a final adjustment factor. The
  237  sum of these adjustment factors computed under sub-subparagraphs
  238  a.-d. shall first be algebraically summed. The sum of these
  239  adjustment factors shall next be divided by a gross benefit
  240  ratio determined as follows: Total benefit payments for the 3
  241  year period described in subparagraph (b)2. are shall be charged
  242  to employers eligible for a variation from the standard rate,
  243  minus excess payments for the same period, divided by taxable
  244  payroll entering into the computation of individual benefit
  245  ratios for the calendar year for which the contribution rate is
  246  being computed. The ratio of the sum of the adjustment factors
  247  computed under sub-subparagraphs a.-d. to the gross benefit
  248  ratio is shall be multiplied by each individual benefit ratio
  249  that is less than the maximum contribution rate to obtain
  250  variable adjustment factors; except that if in any instance in
  251  which the sum of an employer’s individual benefit ratio and
  252  variable adjustment factor exceeds the maximum contribution
  253  rate, the variable adjustment factor is shall be reduced in
  254  order for that the sum to equal equals the maximum contribution
  255  rate. The variable adjustment factor for each of these employers
  256  is multiplied by his or her taxable payroll entering into the
  257  computation of his or her benefit ratio. The sum of these
  258  products is shall be divided by the taxable payroll of the
  259  employers who entered into the computation of their benefit
  260  ratios. The resulting ratio is shall be subtracted from the sum
  261  of the adjustment factors computed under sub-subparagraphs a.-d.
  262  to obtain the final adjustment factor. The variable adjustment
  263  factors and the final adjustment factor must shall be computed
  264  to five decimal places and rounded to the fourth decimal place.
  265  This final adjustment factor is shall be added to the variable
  266  adjustment factor and benefit ratio of each employer to obtain
  267  each employer’s contribution rate. An employer’s contribution
  268  rate may not, however, be rounded to less than 0.1 percent.
  269         a. An adjustment factor for noncharge benefits is shall be
  270  computed to the fifth decimal place and rounded to the fourth
  271  decimal place by dividing the amount of noncharge benefits
  272  during the 3-year period described in subparagraph (b)2. by the
  273  taxable payroll of employers eligible for a variation from the
  274  standard rate who have a benefit ratio for the current year
  275  which is less than the maximum contribution rate. For purposes
  276  of computing this adjustment factor, the taxable payroll of
  277  these employers is the taxable payrolls for the 3 years ending
  278  June 30 of the current calendar year as reported to the tax
  279  collection service provider by September 30 of the same calendar
  280  year. As used in this sub-subparagraph, the term “noncharge
  281  benefits” means benefits paid to an individual from the
  282  Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund, but which were not charged
  283  to the employment record of any employer.
  284         b. An adjustment factor for excess payments is shall be
  285  computed to the fifth decimal place, and rounded to the fourth
  286  decimal place by dividing the total excess payments during the
  287  3-year period described in subparagraph (b)2. by the taxable
  288  payroll of employers eligible for a variation from the standard
  289  rate who have a benefit ratio for the current year which is less
  290  than the maximum contribution rate. For purposes of computing
  291  this adjustment factor, the taxable payroll of these employers
  292  is the same figure used to compute the adjustment factor for
  293  noncharge benefits under sub-subparagraph a. As used in this
  294  sub-subparagraph, the term “excess payments” means the amount of
  295  benefits charged to the employment record of an employer during
  296  the 3-year period described in subparagraph (b)2., less the
  297  product of the maximum contribution rate and the employer’s
  298  taxable payroll for the 3 years ending June 30 of the current
  299  calendar year as reported to the tax collection service provider
  300  by September 30 of the same calendar year. As used in this sub
  301  subparagraph, the term “total excess payments” means the sum of
  302  the individual employer excess payments for those employers that
  303  were eligible to be considered for assignment of a contribution
  304  rate different from the standard rate.
  305         c. With respect to computing a positive adjustment factor:
  306         (I) Beginning January 1, 2012, if the balance of the
  307  Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund on June 30 of the calendar
  308  year immediately preceding the calendar year for which the
  309  contribution rate is being computed is less than 4 percent of
  310  the taxable payrolls for the year ending June 30 as reported to
  311  the tax collection service provider by September 30 of that
  312  calendar year, a positive adjustment factor shall be computed.
  313  The positive adjustment factor is shall be computed annually to
  314  the fifth decimal place and rounded to the fourth decimal place
  315  by dividing the sum of the total taxable payrolls for the year
  316  ending June 30 of the current calendar year as reported to the
  317  tax collection service provider by September 30 of that calendar
  318  year into a sum equal to one-third of the difference between the
  319  balance of the fund as of June 30 of that calendar year and the
  320  sum of 5 percent of the total taxable payrolls for that year.
  321  The positive adjustment factor remains in effect for subsequent
  322  years until the balance of the Unemployment Compensation Trust
  323  Fund as of June 30 of the year immediately preceding the
  324  effective date of the contribution rate equals or exceeds 5
  325  percent of the taxable payrolls for the year ending June 30 of
  326  the current calendar year as reported to the tax collection
  327  service provider by September 30 of that calendar year.
  328         (II) Beginning January 1, 2015, and for each year
  329  thereafter, the positive adjustment authorized by this section
  330  shall be computed by dividing the sum of the total taxable
  331  payrolls for the year ending June 30 of the current calendar
  332  year as reported to the tax collection service provider by
  333  September 30 of that calendar year into a sum equal to one
  334  fourth of the difference between the balance of the fund as of
  335  June 30 of that calendar year and the sum of 5 percent of the
  336  total taxable payrolls for that year. The positive adjustment
  337  factor remains in effect for subsequent years until the balance
  338  of the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund as of June 30 of the
  339  year immediately preceding the effective date of the
  340  contribution rate equals or exceeds 4 percent of the taxable
  341  payrolls for the year ending June 30 of the current calendar
  342  year as reported to the tax collection service provider by
  343  September 30 of that calendar year.
  344         d. If, beginning January 1, 2015, and each year thereafter,
  345  the balance of the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund as of
  346  June 30 of the year immediately preceding the calendar year for
  347  which the contribution rate is being computed exceeds 5 percent
  348  of the taxable payrolls for the year ending June 30 of the
  349  current calendar year as reported to the tax collection service
  350  provider by September 30 of that calendar year, a negative
  351  adjustment factor must shall be computed. The negative
  352  adjustment factor shall be computed annually beginning on
  353  January 1, 2015, and each year thereafter, to the fifth decimal
  354  place and rounded to the fourth decimal place by dividing the
  355  sum of the total taxable payrolls for the year ending June 30 of
  356  the current calendar year as reported to the tax collection
  357  service provider by September 30 of the calendar year into a sum
  358  equal to one-fourth of the difference between the balance of the
  359  fund as of June 30 of the current calendar year and 5 percent of
  360  the total taxable payrolls of that year. The negative adjustment
  361  factor remains in effect for subsequent years until the balance
  362  of the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund as of June 30 of the
  363  year immediately preceding the effective date of the
  364  contribution rate is less than 5 percent, but more than 4
  365  percent of the taxable payrolls for the year ending June 30 of
  366  the current calendar year as reported to the tax collection
  367  service provider by September 30 of that calendar year. The
  368  negative adjustment authorized by this section is suspended in
  369  any calendar year in which repayment of the principal amount of
  370  an advance received from the federal Unemployment Compensation
  371  Trust Fund under 42 U.S.C. s. 1321 is due to the Federal
  372  Government.
  373         e. The maximum contribution rate that may be assigned to an
  374  employer is 5.4 percent, except employers participating in an
  375  approved short-time compensation plan may be assigned a maximum
  376  contribution rate that is 1 percent greater than the maximum
  377  contribution rate for other employers in any calendar year in
  378  which short-time compensation benefits are charged to the
  379  employer’s employment record.
  380         f. As used in this subsection, “taxable payroll” shall be
  381  determined by excluding any part of the remuneration paid to an
  382  individual by an employer for employment during a calendar year
  383  in excess of the first $7,000.
  384         2. If the transfer of an employer’s employment record to an
  385  employing unit under paragraph (f) which, before the transfer,
  386  was an employer, the tax collection service provider shall
  387  recompute a benefit ratio for the successor employer based on
  388  the combined employment records and reassign an appropriate
  389  contribution rate to the successor employer effective on the
  390  first day of the calendar quarter immediately after the
  391  effective date of the transfer.
  392         (5)PAYMENT OF FEDERAL ADVANCES.—If the Unemployment
  393  Compensation Trust Fund has received advances from the Federal
  394  Government under 42 U.S.C. s. 1321, each contributing employer,
  395  except for reimbursing employers, shall be assessed an
  396  additional rate solely for the purpose of paying interest due on
  397  the federal advances. The additional rate shall be assessed by
  398  February 1 of each calendar year that an interest payment is
  399  due.
  400         (a) The Revenue Estimating Conference shall estimate the
  401  amount of such interest by December 1 of the calendar year
  402  preceding the calendar year in which an interest payment is due.
  403  The Revenue Estimating Conference shall, at a minimum, consider
  404  the following as the basis for the estimate:
  405         1. The amounts actually advanced to the trust fund;
  406         2. Amounts expected to be advanced to the trust fund based
  407  on current and projected unemployment patterns and employer
  408  contributions;
  409         3. The interest payment due date; and
  410         4. The interest rate that will be applied by the Federal
  411  Government to any accrued outstanding balances.
  412         (b) The additional rate assessed for a calendar year is
  413  determined by dividing the estimated amount of interest to be
  414  paid in that year by 95 percent of the taxable wages, as defined
  415  in s. 443.1217, paid by all employers for the year ending June
  416  30 of the immediately preceding calendar year. The amount to be
  417  paid by each employer is the product obtained by multiplying the
  418  employer’s taxable wages for the year ending June 30 of the
  419  immediately preceding calendar year by the additional rate.
  420         (c) The tax collection service provider shall make a
  421  separate collection of such assessment, which may be collected
  422  at the time of employer contributions and is subject to the same
  423  penalties for failure to file a report, imposition of the
  424  standard rate pursuant to paragraph (3)(h), and interest if the
  425  assessment is not received on or before June 30. The tax
  426  collection service provider shall maintain those funds in the
  427  tax collection service provider’s Audit and Warrant Clearing
  428  Trust Fund until it is directed to make the interest payment to
  429  the Federal Government.
  430         1. If the state is allowed to defer interest payments due
  431  during a calendar year under 42 U.S.C. s. 1322, payment of the
  432  interest assessment shall not be due.
  433         2. If a deferral of interest expires or is subsequently
  434  disallowed by the Federal Government, prospectively or
  435  retroactively, the interest assessment is immediately due and
  436  payable.
  437         (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, if
  438  interest due during a calendar year on federal advances is
  439  forgiven or postponed under federal law and is no longer due
  440  during that calendar year, interest assessment may not be
  441  assessed against an employer for that calendar year and any
  442  assessment already assessed and collected against an employer
  443  before the forgiveness or postponement of the interest for that
  444  calendar year shall be credited to the employer’s account in the
  445  Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund. However, such funds may be
  446  used only to pay benefits or refunds of erroneous contributions.
  447         (6) SEVERABILITY.—If any provision of this section prevents
  448  the state from qualifying for any federal interest relief
  449  provisions provided under s. 1202 of the Social Security Act, 42
  450  USC s. 1322, or prevents employers in this state from qualifying
  451  for the limitation on the reduction of federal unemployment tax
  452  act credits as provided under s. 3302(f) of the Federal
  453  Unemployment Tax Act, 26 USC s. 3302(f), that provision is
  454  invalid to the extent necessary to maintain qualification for
  455  the interest relief provisions and federal unemployment tax
  456  credits.
  457         Section 5. Operating retroactive to January 1, 2010,
  458  paragraphs (d) and (e) are added to subsection (1) of section
  459  443.141, Florida Statutes, to read:
  460         443.141 Collection of contributions and reimbursements.—
  461         (1) PAST DUE CONTRIBUTIONS AND REIMBURSEMENTS.—
  462         (d) Payments for 2010 Contributions.—A contributing
  463  employer may pay its quarterly contributions due for wages paid
  464  in the first three quarters of 2010 in equal installments if
  465  those contributions are paid as follows:
  466         1. For contributions due for wages paid in the first
  467  quarter of 2010, one-fourth of the contributions due must be
  468  paid on or before April 30, 2010, one-fourth must be paid on or
  469  before July 31, 2010, one-fourth must be paid on or before
  470  October 31, 2010, and the remaining one-fourth must be paid on
  471  or before December 31, 2010.
  472         2. In addition to the payments specified in subparagraph
  473  1., for contributions due for wages paid in the second quarter
  474  of 2010, one-third of the contributions due must be paid on or
  475  before July 31, 2010, one-third must be paid on or before
  476  October 31, 2010, and the remaining one-third must be paid on or
  477  before December 31, 2010.
  478         3. In addition to the payments specified in subparagraphs
  479  1. and 2., for contributions due for wages paid in the third
  480  quarter of 2010, one-half of the contributions due must be paid
  481  on or before October 31, 2010, and the remaining one-half must
  482  be paid on or before December 31, 2010.
  483         4. Interest does not accrue on any contribution that
  484  becomes due for wages paid in the first three quarters of 2010
  485  if the employer pays the contribution in accordance with
  486  subparagraphs 1.-3. Interest and fees continue to accrue on
  487  prior delinquent contributions and commence accruing on all
  488  contributions due for wages paid in the first three quarters of
  489  2010 which are not paid in accordance with subparagraphs 1.-3.
  490  Penalties may be assessed in accordance with this chapter. The
  491  contributions due for wages paid in the fourth quarter of 2010
  492  are not affected by this paragraph and are due and payable in
  493  accordance with this chapter.
  494         (e) Payments for 2011 Contributions.—A contributing
  495  employer may pay its quarterly contributions due for wages paid
  496  in the first three quarters of 2011 in equal installments
  497  provided those contributions are paid as follows:
  498         1. For contributions due for wages paid in the first
  499  quarter of 2011, one-fourth of the contributions due must be
  500  paid on or before April 30, 2011, one-fourth must be paid on or
  501  before July 31, 2011, one-fourth must be paid on or before
  502  October 31, 2011, and the remaining one-fourth must be paid on
  503  or before December 31, 2011.
  504         2. In addition to the payments specified in subparagraph
  505  1., for contributions due for wages paid in the second quarter
  506  of 2011, one-third of the contributions due must be paid on or
  507  before July 31, 2011, one-third must be paid on or before
  508  October 31, 2011, and the remaining one-third must be paid on or
  509  before December 31, 2011.
  510         3. In addition to the payments specified in subparagraphs
  511  1. and 2., for contributions due for wages paid in the third
  512  quarter of 2011, one-half of the contributions due must be paid
  513  on or before October 31, 2011, and the remaining one-half must
  514  be paid on or before December 31, 2011.
  515         4. Interest does not accrue on any contribution that
  516  becomes due for wages paid in the first three quarters of 2011
  517  if the employer pays the contribution in accordance with
  518  subparagraphs 1.-3. Interest and fees continue to accrue on
  519  prior delinquent contributions and commence accruing on all
  520  contributions due for wages paid in the first three quarters of
  521  2011 which are not paid in accordance with subparagraphs 1.-3.
  522  Penalties may be assessed in accordance with this chapter. The
  523  contributions due for wages paid in the fourth quarter of 2011
  524  are not affected by this paragraph and are due and payable in
  525  accordance with this chapter.
  526         Section 6. For the 2009-2010 fiscal year, the sum of
  527  $1,269,817 is appropriated from the Employment Security
  528  Administration Trust Fund in the contracted services
  529  appropriation category within the Agency for Workforce
  530  Innovation’s Unemployment Compensation budget entity to be used
  531  to implement this act. In addition, for the 2009-2010 fiscal
  532  year, the sum of $1,269,817 is appropriated from the Federal
  533  Grants Trust Fund in a lump sum appropriation category within
  534  the Department of Revenue to be used to implement this act.
  535         Section 7. The Legislature finds that this act fulfills an
  536  important state interest.
  537         Section 8. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law,
  538  and except as otherwise expressly provided in this act, operates
  539  retroactive to June 29, 2009.