1 | A bill to be entitled |
2 | An act relating to unemployment compensation; amending s. |
3 | 443.036, F.S.; conforming a cross-reference; defining the |
4 | terms "community service" and "reemployment services"; |
5 | amending s. 443.091, F.S.; providing that an unemployed |
6 | individual is eligible to receive benefits if she or he |
7 | participates in a community service program administered |
8 | by a one-stop career center; amending ss. 443.1216, |
9 | 443.131, and 443.151, F.S.; conforming cross-references; |
10 | providing an effective date. |
11 |
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12 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
13 |
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14 | Section 1. Present subsection (9) and present subsections |
15 | (13) through (36) of section 443.036, Florida Statutes, are |
16 | renumbered as subsections (14) through (37), respectively, |
17 | present subsections (37) through (45) of that subsection are |
18 | renumbered as subsections (39) through (47), respectively, and |
19 | amended, and new subsections (13) and (38) are added to that |
20 | section, to read: |
21 | 443.036 Definitions.-As used in this chapter, the term: |
22 | (9) "Benefit year" means, for an individual, the 1-year |
23 | period beginning with the first day of the first week for which |
24 | the individual first files a valid claim for benefits and, |
25 | thereafter, the 1-year period beginning with the first day of |
26 | the first week for which the individual next files a valid claim |
27 | for benefits after the termination of his or her last preceding |
28 | benefit year. Each claim for benefits made in accordance with s. |
29 | 443.151(2) is a valid claim under this subsection if the |
30 | individual was paid wages for insured work in accordance with s. |
31 | 443.091(1)(h) s. 443.091(1)(g) and is unemployed as defined in |
32 | subsection (43) at the time of filing the claim. However, the |
33 | Agency for Workforce Innovation may adopt rules providing for |
34 | the establishment of a uniform benefit year for all workers in |
35 | one or more groups or classes of service or within a particular |
36 | industry if the agency determines, after notice to the industry |
37 | and to the workers in the industry and an opportunity to be |
38 | heard in the matter, that those groups or classes of workers in |
39 | a particular industry periodically experience unemployment |
40 | resulting from layoffs or shutdowns for limited periods of time. |
41 | (13) "Community service" means any program operated by a |
42 | one-stop career center in which unemployed persons are required |
43 | to perform volunteer services for private nonprofit or public |
44 | entities. |
45 | (14)(13) "Contributing employer" means an employer who is |
46 | liable for contributions under this chapter. |
47 | (15)(14) "Contribution" means a payment of payroll tax to |
48 | the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund which is required under |
49 | this chapter to finance unemployment benefits. |
50 | (16)(15) "Crew leader" means an individual who: |
51 | (a) Furnishes individuals to perform service in |
52 | agricultural labor for another person. |
53 | (b) Pays, either on his or her own behalf or on behalf of |
54 | the other person, the individuals furnished by him or her for |
55 | the service in agricultural labor performed by those |
56 | individuals. |
57 | (c) Has not entered into a written agreement with the |
58 | other person under which the individual is designated as an |
59 | employee of the other person. |
60 | (17)(16) "Earned income" means gross remuneration derived |
61 | from work, professional service, or self-employment. The term |
62 | includes commissions, bonuses, back pay awards, and the cash |
63 | value of all remuneration paid in a medium other than cash. The |
64 | term does not include income derived from invested capital or |
65 | ownership of property. |
66 | (18)(17) "Educational institution" means an institution, |
67 | except for an institution of higher education: |
68 | (a) In which participants, trainees, or students are |
69 | offered an organized course of study or training designed to |
70 | transfer to them knowledge, skills, information, doctrines, |
71 | attitudes, or abilities from, by, or under the guidance of, an |
72 | instructor or teacher; |
73 | (b) Which That is approved, licensed, or issued a permit |
74 | to operate as a school by the Department of Education or other |
75 | governmental agency that is authorized within the state to |
76 | approve, license, or issue a permit for the operation of a |
77 | school; and |
78 | (c) Which That offers courses of study or training which |
79 | are academic, technical, trade, or preparation for gainful |
80 | employment in a recognized occupation. |
81 | (19)(18) "Employee leasing company" means an employing |
82 | unit that has a valid and active license under chapter 468, and |
83 | that maintains the records required by s. 443.171(5), and |
84 | produces, in addition, is responsible for producing quarterly |
85 | reports concerning the clients and the internal staff of the |
86 | employee leasing company and the internal staff of the employee |
87 | leasing company. As used in this subsection, the term "client" |
88 | means a party who has contracted with an employee leasing |
89 | company that provides to provide a worker, or workers, to |
90 | perform services for the client. Leased employees include |
91 | employees subsequently placed on the payroll of the employee |
92 | leasing company on behalf of the client. An employee leasing |
93 | company must notify the tax collection service provider within |
94 | 30 days after the initiation or termination of the company's |
95 | relationship with a any client company under chapter 468. |
96 | (20)(19) "Employer" means an employing unit subject to |
97 | this chapter under s. 443.1215. |
98 | (21)(20) "Employing unit" means an individual; an or type |
99 | of organization, including a partnership, limited liability |
100 | company, association, trust, estate, joint-stock company, |
101 | insurance company, or corporation, whether domestic or foreign; |
102 | the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, trustee, or successor of |
103 | any of the foregoing; or the legal representative of a deceased |
104 | person, who which has or had in his or her its employ one or |
105 | more individuals performing services for it within this state. |
106 | (a) Each individual employed to perform or to assist in |
107 | performing the work of any agent or employee of an employing |
108 | unit is deemed to be employed by the employing unit for the |
109 | purposes of this chapter, regardless of whether the individual |
110 | was hired or paid directly by the employing unit or by an agent |
111 | or employee of the employing unit, if the employing unit had |
112 | actual or constructive knowledge of the work. |
113 | (b) Each individual performing services in this state for |
114 | an employing unit maintaining at least two separate |
115 | establishments in this state is deemed to be performing services |
116 | for a single employing unit for the purposes of this chapter. |
117 | (c) A person who is an officer of a corporation, or a |
118 | member of a limited liability company classified as a |
119 | corporation for federal income tax purposes, and who performs |
120 | services for the corporation or limited liability company in |
121 | this state, regardless of whether those services are continuous, |
122 | is deemed an employee of the corporation or the limited |
123 | liability company during all of each week of his or her tenure |
124 | of office, regardless of whether he or she is compensated for |
125 | those services. Services are presumed to be rendered for the |
126 | corporation if in cases in which the officer is compensated by |
127 | means other than dividends upon shares of stock of the |
128 | corporation owned by him or her. |
129 | (d) A limited liability company shall be treated as having |
130 | the same status as it is classified for federal income tax |
131 | purposes. However, a single-member limited liability company |
132 | shall be treated as the employer. |
133 | (22)(21) "Employment" means a service subject to this |
134 | chapter under s. 443.1216 which is performed by an employee for |
135 | his or her employer the person employing him or her. |
136 | (23)(22) "Farm" includes stock, dairy, poultry, fruit, |
137 | fur-bearing animal, and truck farms, plantations, ranches, |
138 | nurseries, ranges, greenhouses or other similar structures used |
139 | primarily for the raising of agricultural or horticultural |
140 | commodities, and orchards. |
141 | (24)(23) "Fund" means the Unemployment Compensation Trust |
142 | Fund created under this chapter, into which all contributions |
143 | and reimbursements required under this chapter are deposited and |
144 | from which all benefits provided under this chapter are paid. |
145 | (25)(24) "High quarter" means the quarter in an |
146 | individual's base period in which the individual has the |
147 | greatest amount of wages paid, regardless of the number of |
148 | employers paying wages in that quarter. |
149 | (26)(25) "Hospital" means an establishment institution |
150 | that is licensed as a hospital under chapter 395, certified, or |
151 | approved by the Agency for Health Care Administration as a |
152 | hospital. |
153 | (27)(26) "Institution of higher education" means an |
154 | educational institution that: |
155 | (a) Admits as regular students only individuals having a |
156 | certificate of graduation from a high school, or the recognized |
157 | equivalent of a certificate of graduation; |
158 | (b) Is legally authorized in this state to provide a |
159 | program of education beyond high school; |
160 | (c) Provides an educational program that for which it |
161 | awards a bachelor's or higher degree, or provides a program that |
162 | is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor's or higher |
163 | degree; a program of postgraduate or postdoctoral studies; or a |
164 | program of training to prepare students for gainful employment |
165 | in a recognized occupation; and |
166 | (d) Is a public or other nonprofit institution. |
167 |
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168 | The term includes each community college and state university in |
169 | this state, and any each other institution in this state |
170 | authorized under s. 1005.03 to use the designation "college" or |
171 | "university." under s. 1005.03. |
172 | (28)(27) "Insured work" means employment for employers. |
173 | (29)(28) "Leave of absence" means a temporary break in |
174 | service to an employer, for a specified period of time, during |
175 | which the employing unit guarantees the same or a comparable |
176 | position to the worker at the expiration of the leave. |
177 | (30)(29) "Misconduct" includes, but is not limited to, the |
178 | following, which may not be construed in pari materia with each |
179 | other: |
180 | (a) Conduct demonstrating willful or wanton disregard of |
181 | an employer's interests and found to be a deliberate violation |
182 | or disregard of the standards of behavior which the employer has |
183 | a right to expect of his or her employee; or |
184 | (b) Carelessness or negligence to a degree or recurrence |
185 | that manifests culpability, wrongful intent, or evil design or |
186 | shows an intentional and substantial disregard of the employer's |
187 | interests or of the employee's duties and obligations to his or |
188 | her employer. |
189 | (31)(30) "Monetary determination" means a determination of |
190 | whether and in what amount a claimant is eligible for benefits |
191 | based on the claimant's employment during the base period of the |
192 | claim. |
193 | (32)(31) "Nonmonetary determination" means a determination |
194 | of the claimant's eligibility for benefits based on an issue |
195 | other than monetary entitlement and benefit overpayment. |
196 | (33)(32) "Not in the course of the employer's trade or |
197 | business" means not promoting or advancing the trade or business |
198 | of the employer. |
199 | (34)(33) "One-stop career center" means a service site |
200 | established and maintained as part of the one-stop delivery |
201 | system under s. 445.009. |
202 | (35)(34) "Pay period" means a period of 31 or fewer |
203 | consecutive days for which a payment or remuneration is |
204 | ordinarily made to the employee by the person employing him or |
205 | her. |
206 | (36)(35) "Public employer" means: |
207 | (a) A state agency or political subdivision of the state; |
208 | (b) An instrumentality that is wholly owned by one or more |
209 | state agencies or political subdivisions of the state; or |
210 | (c) An instrumentality that is wholly owned by one or more |
211 | state agencies, political subdivisions, or instrumentalities of |
212 | the state and one or more state agencies or political |
213 | subdivisions of one or more other states. |
214 | (37)(36) "Reasonable assurance" means a written or verbal |
215 | agreement, an agreement between an employer and a worker |
216 | understood through tradition within the trade or occupation, or |
217 | an agreement defined in an employer's policy. |
218 | (38) "Reemployment services" means all activities provided |
219 | to unemployed persons which are designed to assist them in |
220 | finding work, including, but not limited to: |
221 | (a) Job search, referral and placement assistance, and |
222 | provision of labor market information. |
223 | (b) Creation of an individualized employability |
224 | development plan that is developed by a case manager and job |
225 | seeker and includes career goals, work history, certification, |
226 | and services required to meet such goals. The plan is agreed to |
227 | by the job seeker who must meet each goal in order to continue |
228 | participating in job training programs. |
229 | (c) Assessment of skill levels, abilities, and aptitudes. |
230 | (d) Career guidance, if appropriate, and referral to |
231 | training as required. |
232 | (e) Job search workshops such as resume writing and |
233 | interviewing classes. |
234 | (f) Community service programs operated by a one-stop |
235 | career center. |
236 | (39)(37) "Reimbursement" means a payment of money to the |
237 | Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund in lieu of a contribution |
238 | which is required under this chapter to finance unemployment |
239 | benefits. |
240 | (40)(38) "Reimbursing employer" means an employer who is |
241 | liable for reimbursements in lieu of contributions made under |
242 | this chapter. |
243 | (41)(39) "State" includes the states of the United States, |
244 | the District of Columbia, Canada, the Commonwealth of Puerto |
245 | Rico, and the Virgin Islands. |
246 | (42)(40) "State law" means the unemployment insurance law |
247 | of any state, approved by the United States Secretary of Labor |
248 | under s. 3304 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. |
249 | (43)(41) "Tax collection service provider" or "service |
250 | provider" means the state agency providing unemployment tax |
251 | collection services under contract with the Agency for Workforce |
252 | Innovation through an interagency agreement pursuant to s. |
253 | 443.1316. |
254 | (44)(42) "Temporary layoff" means a job separation due to |
255 | lack of work which does not exceed 8 consecutive weeks and which |
256 | has a fixed or approximate return-to-work date. |
257 | (45)(43) "Unemployment" or "unemployed" means: |
258 | (a) An individual is "totally unemployed" in any week |
259 | during which he or she does not perform any services and for |
260 | which earned income is not payable to him or her. An individual |
261 | is "partially unemployed" in any week of less than full-time |
262 | work if the earned income payable to him or her for that week is |
263 | less than his or her weekly benefit amount. The Agency for |
264 | Workforce Innovation may adopt rules prescribing distinctions in |
265 | the procedures for unemployed individuals based on total |
266 | unemployment, part-time unemployment, partial unemployment of |
267 | individuals attached to their regular jobs, and other forms of |
268 | short-time work. |
269 | (b) An individual's week of unemployment commences only |
270 | after his or her registration with the Agency for Workforce |
271 | Innovation as required in s. 443.091, except as the agency may |
272 | otherwise prescribe by rule. |
273 | (46)(44) "Wages" means remuneration subject to this |
274 | chapter under s. 443.1217. |
275 | (47)(45) "Week" means a period of 7 consecutive days as |
276 | defined in the rules of the Agency for Workforce Innovation. The |
277 | Agency for Workforce Innovation may by rule prescribe that a |
278 | week is deemed to be "in," "within," or "during" the benefit |
279 | year that contains the greater part of the week. |
280 | Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 443.091, Florida |
281 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
282 | 443.091 Benefit eligibility conditions.- |
283 | (1) An unemployed individual is eligible to receive |
284 | benefits for any week only if the Agency for Workforce |
285 | Innovation finds that: |
286 | (a) She or he has made a claim for benefits for that week |
287 | in accordance with the rules adopted by the Agency for Workforce |
288 | Innovation. |
289 | (b) She or he has registered with the agency for work and |
290 | subsequently reports to the one-stop career center as directed |
291 | by the regional workforce board for reemployment services. This |
292 | requirement does not apply to persons who are: |
293 | 1. Non-Florida residents; |
294 | 2. On a temporary layoff, as defined in s. 443.036(42); |
295 | 3. Union members who customarily obtain employment through |
296 | a union hiring hall; or |
297 | 4. Claiming benefits under an approved short-time |
298 | compensation plan as provided in s. 443.1116. |
299 | (c) To make continued claims for benefits, she or he is |
300 | reporting to the agency in accordance with its rules. These |
301 | rules may not conflict with s. 443.111(1)(b), including the |
302 | requirement that each claimant continue to report regardless of |
303 | any pending appeal relating to her or his eligibility or |
304 | disqualification for benefits. |
305 | (d) She or he is able to work and is available for work. |
306 | In order to assess eligibility for a claimed week of |
307 | unemployment, the agency shall develop criteria to determine a |
308 | claimant's ability to work and availability for work. However: |
309 | 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph |
310 | or paragraphs (b) and (e), an otherwise eligible individual may |
311 | not be denied benefits for any week because she or he is in |
312 | training with the approval of the agency, or by reason of s. |
313 | 443.101(2) relating to failure to apply for, or refusal to |
314 | accept, suitable work. Training may be approved by the agency in |
315 | accordance with criteria prescribed by rule. A claimant's |
316 | eligibility during approved training is contingent upon |
317 | satisfying eligibility conditions prescribed by rule. |
318 | 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, an |
319 | otherwise eligible individual who is in training approved under |
320 | s. 236(a)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended, may not be |
321 | determined ineligible or disqualified for benefits due to her or |
322 | his enrollment in such training or because of leaving work that |
323 | is not suitable employment to enter such training. As used in |
324 | this subparagraph, the term "suitable employment" means work of |
325 | a substantially equal or higher skill level than the worker's |
326 | past adversely affected employment, as defined for purposes of |
327 | the Trade Act of 1974, as amended, the wages for which are at |
328 | least 80 percent of the worker's average weekly wage as |
329 | determined for purposes of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended. |
330 | 3. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an |
331 | otherwise eligible individual may not be denied benefits for any |
332 | week because she or he is before any state or federal court |
333 | pursuant to a lawfully issued summons to appear for jury duty. |
334 | 4. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an |
335 | otherwise eligible individual may not be denied benefits for any |
336 | week because she or he is participating in a community service |
337 | program as provided in paragraph (f). |
338 | (e) She or he participates in reemployment services, such |
339 | as job search assistance services if, whenever the individual |
340 | has been determined, by a profiling system established by agency |
341 | rule, to be likely to exhaust regular benefits and to be in need |
342 | of reemployment services. |
343 | (f) She or he participates in a community service program |
344 | administered by a one-stop career center. This requirement |
345 | applies only to claims in which the 12th week of her or his |
346 | regular benefits falls after July 2, 2011. |
347 | (g)(f) She or he has been unemployed for a waiting period |
348 | of 1 week. A week may not be counted as a week of unemployment |
349 | under this subsection unless: |
350 | 1. Unless It occurs within the benefit year that includes |
351 | the week for which she or he claims payment of benefits. |
352 | 2. If Benefits have been paid for that week. |
353 | 3. Unless The individual was eligible for benefits for |
354 | that week as provided in this section and s. 443.101, except for |
355 | the requirements of this subsection and of s. 443.101(5). |
356 | (h)(g) She or he has been paid wages for insured work |
357 | equal to 1.5 times her or his high quarter wages during her or |
358 | his base period, except that an unemployed individual is not |
359 | eligible to receive benefits if the base period wages are less |
360 | than $3,400. |
361 | (i)(h) She or he submitted to the agency a valid social |
362 | security number assigned to her or him. The agency may verify |
363 | the social security number with the United States Social |
364 | Security Administration and may deny benefits if the agency is |
365 | unable to verify the individual's social security number, the |
366 | social security number is invalid, or the social security number |
367 | is not assigned to the individual. |
368 | Section 3. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) and paragraph |
369 | (f) of subsection (13) of section 443.1216, Florida Statutes, |
370 | are amended to read: |
371 | 443.1216 Employment.-Employment, as defined in s. 443.036, |
372 | is subject to this chapter under the following conditions: |
373 | (1)(a) The employment subject to this chapter includes a |
374 | service performed, including a service performed in interstate |
375 | commerce, by: |
376 | 1. An officer of a corporation. |
377 | 2. An individual who, under the usual common-law rules |
378 | applicable for in determining the employer-employee |
379 | relationship, is an employee. However, if whenever a client who, |
380 | as defined in s. 443.036(18), which would otherwise be |
381 | designated as an employing unit has contracted with an employee |
382 | leasing company to supply it with workers, those workers are |
383 | considered employees of the employee leasing company. An |
384 | employee leasing company may lease corporate officers of the |
385 | client to the client and other workers to the client, except as |
386 | prohibited by regulations of the Internal Revenue Service. |
387 | Employees of an employee leasing company must be reported under |
388 | the employee leasing company's tax identification number and |
389 | contribution rate for work performed for the employee leasing |
390 | company. |
391 | a. In addition to any other report required to be filed by |
392 | law, an employee leasing company shall submit a report to the |
393 | Labor Market Statistics Center within the Agency for Workforce |
394 | Innovation which includes each client establishment and each |
395 | establishment of the employee leasing company, or as otherwise |
396 | directed by the agency. The report must include the following |
397 | information for each establishment: |
398 | (I) The trade or establishment name; |
399 | (II) The former unemployment compensation account number, |
400 | if available; |
401 | (III) The former federal employer's identification number |
402 | (FEIN), if available; |
403 | (IV) The industry code recognized and published by the |
404 | United States Office of Management and Budget, if available; |
405 | (V) A description of the client's primary business |
406 | activity in order to verify or assign an industry code; |
407 | (VI) The address of the physical location; |
408 | (VII) The number of full-time and part-time employees who |
409 | worked during, or received pay that was subject to unemployment |
410 | compensation taxes for, the pay period including the 12th of the |
411 | month for each month of the quarter; |
412 | (VIII) The total wages subject to unemployment |
413 | compensation taxes paid during the calendar quarter; |
414 | (IX) An internal identification code to uniquely identify |
415 | each establishment of each client; |
416 | (X) The month and year that the client entered into the |
417 | contract for services; and |
418 | (XI) The month and year that the client terminated the |
419 | contract for services. |
420 | b. The report shall be submitted electronically or as in a |
421 | manner otherwise prescribed by the Agency for Workforce |
422 | Innovation and in the format specified by the Bureau of Labor |
423 | Statistics of the United States Department of Labor for its |
424 | Multiple Worksite Report for Professional Employer |
425 | Organizations. The report must be provided quarterly to the |
426 | Labor Market Statistics Center within the Agency for Workforce |
427 | Innovation, or as otherwise directed by the agency, and must be |
428 | filed by the last day of the month immediately following the end |
429 | of the calendar quarter. The information required in sub-sub- |
430 | subparagraphs a.(X) and (XI) need be provided only in the |
431 | quarter in which the contract to which it relates was entered |
432 | into or terminated. The sum of the employment data and the sum |
433 | of the wage data in the this report must match the employment |
434 | and wages reported in the unemployment compensation quarterly |
435 | tax and wage report. A report is not required for any calendar |
436 | quarter preceding the third calendar quarter of 2010. |
437 | c. The Agency for Workforce Innovation shall adopt rules |
438 | as necessary to administer this subparagraph, and may |
439 | administer, collect, enforce, and waive the penalty imposed by |
440 | s. 443.141(1)(b) for the report required by this subparagraph. |
441 | d. For the purposes of this subparagraph, the term |
442 | "establishment" means any location where business is conducted |
443 | or where services or industrial operations are performed. |
444 | 3. An individual other than an individual who is an |
445 | employee under subparagraph 1. or subparagraph 2., who performs |
446 | services for remuneration for any person: |
447 | a. As an agent-driver or commission-driver engaged in |
448 | distributing meat products, vegetable products, fruit products, |
449 | bakery products, beverages other than milk, or laundry or |
450 | drycleaning services for his or her principal. |
451 | b. As a traveling or city salesperson engaged on a full- |
452 | time basis in the solicitation on behalf of, and the |
453 | transmission to, his or her principal of orders from |
454 | wholesalers, retailers, contractors, or operators of hotels, |
455 | restaurants, or other similar establishments for merchandise for |
456 | resale or supplies for use in their business operations. This |
457 | sub-subparagraph does not apply to an agent-driver, or a |
458 | commission-driver, or and does not apply to sideline sales |
459 | activities performed on behalf of a person other than the |
460 | salesperson's principal. |
461 | 4. The services described in subparagraph 3. are |
462 | employment subject to this chapter only if: |
463 | a. The contract of service contemplates that substantially |
464 | all of the services are to be performed personally by the |
465 | individual; |
466 | b. The individual does not have a substantial investment |
467 | in facilities used in connection with the services, other than |
468 | facilities used for transportation; and |
469 | c. The services are not in the nature of a single |
470 | transaction that is not part of a continuing relationship with |
471 | the person for whom the services are performed. |
472 | (13) The following are exempt from coverage under this |
473 | chapter: |
474 | (f) Service performed in the employ of a public employer |
475 | as defined in s. 443.036, except as provided in subsection (2), |
476 | and service performed in the employ of an instrumentality of a |
477 | public employer as described in s. 443.036(36)(b) or (c) s. |
478 | 443.036(35)(b) or (c), to the extent that the instrumentality is |
479 | immune under the United States Constitution from the tax imposed |
480 | by s. 3301 of the Internal Revenue Code for that service. |
481 | Section 4. Paragraph (f) of subsection (3) of section |
482 | 443.131, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
483 | 443.131 Contributions.- |
484 | (3) VARIATION OF CONTRIBUTION RATES BASED ON BENEFIT |
485 | EXPERIENCE.- |
486 | (f) Transfer of employment records.- |
487 | 1. For the purposes of this subsection, two or more |
488 | employers who are parties to a transfer of business or the |
489 | subject of a merger, consolidation, or other form of |
490 | reorganization, effecting a change in legal identity or form, |
491 | are deemed a single employer and are considered to be one |
492 | employer with a continuous employment record if the tax |
493 | collection service provider finds that the successor employer |
494 | continues to carry on the employing enterprises of all of the |
495 | predecessor employers, and that the successor employer has paid |
496 | all contributions required of and due from all of the |
497 | predecessor employers, and has assumed liability for all |
498 | contributions that may become due from all of the predecessor |
499 | employers. In addition, An employer may not be considered a |
500 | successor under this subparagraph if the employer purchases a |
501 | company with a lower rate into which employees with job |
502 | functions unrelated to the business endeavors of the predecessor |
503 | are transferred for the purpose of acquiring the low rate and |
504 | avoiding payment of contributions. As used in this paragraph, |
505 | Notwithstanding s. 443.036(15) s. 443.036(14), the term |
506 | "contributions," as used in this paragraph, means all |
507 | indebtedness to the tax collection service provider, including, |
508 | but not limited to, interest, penalty, collection fee, and |
509 | service fee. |
510 | 2. A successor employer must accept the transfer of all of |
511 | the predecessor employers' employment records within 30 days |
512 | after the date of the official notification of liability by |
513 | succession. If a predecessor employer has unpaid contributions |
514 | or outstanding quarterly reports, the successor employer must |
515 | pay the total amount with certified funds within 30 days after |
516 | the date of the notice listing the total amount due. After the |
517 | total indebtedness is paid, the tax collection service provider |
518 | shall transfer the employment records of all of the predecessor |
519 | employers to the successor employer's employment record. The tax |
520 | collection service provider shall determine the contribution |
521 | rate of the combined successor and predecessor employers upon |
522 | the transfer of the employment records, as prescribed by rule, |
523 | in order to calculate any change in the contribution rate |
524 | resulting from the transfer of the employment records. |
525 | 3.2. Regardless of whether a predecessor employer's |
526 | employment record is transferred to a successor employer under |
527 | this paragraph, the tax collection service provider shall treat |
528 | the predecessor employer, if he or she subsequently employs |
529 | individuals, as an employer without a previous employment record |
530 | or, if his or her coverage is terminated under s. 443.121, as a |
531 | new employing unit. |
532 | 4.3. The state agency providing unemployment tax |
533 | collection services may adopt rules governing the partial |
534 | transfer of experience rating when an employer transfers an |
535 | identifiable and segregable portion of his or her payrolls and |
536 | business to a successor employing unit. As a condition of each |
537 | partial transfer, these rules must require the following to be |
538 | filed with the tax collection service provider: an application |
539 | by the successor employing unit, an agreement by the predecessor |
540 | employer, and the evidence required by the tax collection |
541 | service provider to show the benefit experience and payrolls |
542 | attributable to the transferred portion through the date of the |
543 | transfer. These rules must provide that the successor employing |
544 | unit, if not an employer subject to this chapter, becomes an |
545 | employer as of the date of the transfer and that the transferred |
546 | portion of the predecessor employer's employment record is |
547 | removed from the employment record of the predecessor employer. |
548 | For each calendar year after the date of the transfer of the |
549 | employment record in the records of the tax collection service |
550 | provider, the service provider shall compute the contribution |
551 | rate payable by the successor employer or employing unit based |
552 | on his or her employment record, combined with the transferred |
553 | portion of the predecessor employer's employment record. These |
554 | rules may also prescribe what contribution rates are payable by |
555 | the predecessor and successor employers for the period between |
556 | the date of the transfer of the transferred portion of the |
557 | predecessor employer's employment record in the records of the |
558 | tax collection service provider and the first day of the next |
559 | calendar year. |
560 | 5.4. This paragraph does not apply to an employee leasing |
561 | company and client contractual agreement as defined in s. |
562 | 443.036. The tax collection service provider shall, if the |
563 | contractual agreement is terminated or the employee leasing |
564 | company fails to submit reports or pay contributions as required |
565 | by the service provider, treat the client as a new employer |
566 | without previous employment record unless the client is |
567 | otherwise eligible for a variation from the standard rate. |
568 | Section 5. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section |
569 | 443.151, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
570 | 443.151 Procedure concerning claims.- |
571 | (3) DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY.- |
572 | (b) Monetary determinations.-In addition to the notice of |
573 | claim, the agency shall also promptly provide an initial |
574 | monetary determination to the claimant and each base period |
575 | employer whose account is subject to being charged for its |
576 | respective share of benefits on the claim. The monetary |
577 | determination must include a statement of whether and in what |
578 | amount the claimant is entitled to benefits, and, in the event |
579 | of a denial, must state the reasons for the denial. A monetary |
580 | determination for the first week of a benefit year must also |
581 | include a statement of whether the claimant was paid the wages |
582 | required under s. 443.091(1)(h) s. 443.091(1)(g) and, if so, the |
583 | first day of the benefit year, the claimant's weekly benefit |
584 | amount, and the maximum total amount of benefits payable to the |
585 | claimant for a benefit year. The monetary determination is final |
586 | unless within 20 days after the mailing of the notices to the |
587 | parties' last known addresses, or in lieu of mailing, within 20 |
588 | days after the delivery of the notices, an appeal or written |
589 | request for reconsideration is filed by the claimant or other |
590 | party entitled to notice. The agency may adopt rules as |
591 | necessary to implement the processes described in this paragraph |
592 | relating to notices of monetary determinations and the appeals |
593 | or reconsideration requests filed in response to such notices. |
594 | Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011. |