Unemployment Insurance Notices

Lincoln Day and Presidents' Day: Offices Closed
EUC08 Tier Four Benefits Ending
UI Quarterly Contributions Due
1099 Tax Form
Attempted Unemployment Scam Targets Employers
Federal Unemployment Benefits Extended 12/23/11
Missouri Access Card Scam
Unemployment Benefits for Military Spouses
Unemployment Fraud Overpayment Law Changes 4-13-11
April 13, 2011 - Governor Signed Legislation Regarding Extended Benefits and Regular State Benefits
2011 - Last Year of the Automation Surcharge
FUTA Tax Rate and Credit Reduction
Unemployment Trust Fund- Interest Payments on Federal Loan

Lincoln Day and Presidents' Day: Offices Closed

Our offices will be closed on Monday, February 13, 2012 in observance of Lincoln Day holiday and Monday, February 20, 2012 in observance of the federal Presidents' Day holiday. Processing of unemployment claims and payments will be delayed at least one day due to these holidays. Unemployment payments normally made on Tuesday will not be made until Wednesday.

EUC08 Tier Four Benefits Ending

Under federal legislation, EUC08 Tier Four benefits are available to eligible individuals in states where the three-month average, seasonally adjusted total unemployment rate is at least 8.5 percent.  Missouri’s three-month average is now 8.2 percent.  EUC08 Tier Three benefits must be exhausted with the week ending February 18, 2012 in order to establish eligibility for EUC08 Tier Four benefits.  Those establishing eligibility for Tier Four will have until August 18, 2012 to use these benefits.  View extensions information...

UI Quarterly Contributions Due

Employers, your unemployment insurance quarterly contributions report and tax is due January 31st. To save time and have the system calculate your tax due, file by USTAR at https://www.ustar.labor.mo.gov/ustar/login.jsp. For your convenience, tax payments can now be made using a credit card.

1099 Tax Form

Those receiving unemployment must report the amount of benefits received during the year on the state and federal tax returns. The Form 1099-G contains this benefit information. The Form 1099-G for 2011 is now available for viewing and printing from the Online Claims Application. All forms have been mailed to claimants. Questions about your 1099-G form? Email esuiclaims@labor.mo.gov

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Attempted Unemployment Scam Targets Employers

Imposter Claims to Work for the Labor Department

The Missouri Labor Department's Division of Employment Security (DES) would like to warn Missouri employers about an imposter, claiming to work for the DES, seeking confidential information about employees. The DES has contacted law enforcement to stop this activity.

The imposter contacted an employer and asked the employer to provide the Contribution & Wage report. This may have been an attempt to access confidential information. If you are called by someone claiming to be from the DES requesting this information, you can verify their employment status with the DES by requesting their name and calling 573-751-3236 or 573-751-3329 to confirm that they do work for the Labor Department.

Federal Unemployment Benefits Extended 12/23/11

12-23-11: Legislation has been passed that extends the time period to file for additional federal unemployment benefits (EUC08), including state Extended Benefits (EB).

This legislation does not add any additional benefits but rather extends the time period for claimants to file and receive benefits under the federal programs. A chart with new deadlines and phase-out dates has been posted. Please continue filing your weekly claim as usual if applicable. Read more...

Missouri Access Card Scam

Several unemployment insurance claimants have reported receiving calls from a robo-caller asking for their social security number and debit card account number. Sometimes the call was prefaced with "Your unemployment debit card is expiring soon" or "there is a problem with your unemployment debit card".

The calls are coming to land lines and cell phones. It appears the scammers are targeting a very wide audience and not just those receiving unemployment benefits. This scam is not just limited to Missouri. We have been alerted by USDOL of this same type of scam in other states.

Please be assured that a Missouri Access representative would never initiate a call to a claimant nor do they make robo calls to cardholders. If you are contacted by a robo-caller, do not provide your information.

Unemployment Benefits for Military Spouses

A new law allows Missourians who leave their job and relocate to be with a spouse in the military to file for unemployment benefits. This law goes into affect August 28, 2011. File an unemployment claim. If you are a military spouse and filing online, click on the box “Quit-Resigned” as the reason for separation from your employer.

Unemployed Military Spouse FAQs
News Release: New Law Allows Military Spouses Who Relocate to File for Unemployment
Missouri’s UI Law for Military Spouses a Success

 

Unemployment Fraud Overpayment Law Changes - April 13, 2011

State Legislation signed into effect April 13, 2011 no longer allows payment of unemployment benefits when there is an outstanding penalty assessed based on a fraudulent overpayment until full repayment has been made and all penalties have been paid. To make a payment, contact
573 751-4058.

April 13, 2011 - Governor Signed Legislation Regarding Extended Benefits and Regular State Benefits

• Renewed federal extensions to the state Extended Benefits (EB) program.
• Restructured the maximum number of weeks payable on a regular state unemployment insurance (UI) claim from 26 weeks to 20 weeks within a benefit year.

2011- Last Year of the Automation Surcharge

This is the final year that the Automation Surcharge will be paid with first quarter contributions. The amount can be found in item 12 of the Contribution and Wage (CW) Report and is due by April 30, 2011. Employers subject to the surcharge have had their 2011 contribution (tax) rate reduced by .05 percent. Read more...

FUTA Tax Rate and Credit Reduction

Until June 30, 2011, the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) tax rate was 6.2 percent.  However, effective July 1, 2011, the FUTA tax rate decreased to 6.0 percent due to the expiration of the FUTA surcharge of 0.2 percent on June 30, 2011 (visit www.irs.gov).  If the United States Department of Labor certifies that the state's unemployment compensation program meets federal requirements under FUTA and Title III of the Social Security Act (SSA), employers who pay their state unemployment tax timely and in full receive a 5.4 percent credit against their FUTA rate.  Therefore, the net FUTA tax rate for these employers is 0.8 percent (0.6 percent after June 30, 2011).

When a state is in a long-term borrowing situation, however, as Missouri is now, federal law prescribes a reduction to the federal unemployment tax credit of 5.4 percent in order to repay the loan.  The first credit reduction is 0.3 percent points occurs when a state carries a loan balance through January 1st for two consecutive years.  The credit reduction for the third consecutive year is 0.6 percent points and increases an additional 0.3 percent points each year until the loan is repaid.

As of January 1, 2011, Missouri had an outstanding loan balance for two consecutive years.  Missouri employers became subject to a FUTA credit reduction of 0.3 percent points in calendar year 2011, which resulted in a net FUTA tax rate of 1.10 percent (0.9 percent after June 30, 2011).