Unemployment Updates

Keep Your Finger on the Pulse of Unemployment Insurance Changes

These regular unemployment updates are written by our team to help you stay current with UI industry trends and changes.

Big Data, Big Confusion: What are your numbers telling you?

Analytics have infiltrated every aspect of our lives, for better or for worse. In many cases, it’s just plain confusing. What numbers should you focus on? What’s truly relevant and what is, for lack of a better term, just “fluff”?  Figuring out what to focus on when...

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Holiday Help!

Many employers staff up during the last quarter of the year.  The increase in the number of people out and about, shopping during the holiday season, in turn increases the necessity for employers to hire.  Despite earlier prognostications that temporary seasonal jobs...

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UTCA Navigates Over 100 Employers Through Compliance Changes and New Challenges in Managing Unemployment

Unemployment Tax Control Associates, Inc. (UTCA), the Employers Association of the Northeast, and the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield joined forces in October to present to their clients, and members, UTCA’s Annual Client Update – Clearing the Fog: Avoiding the Hidden Unemployment Cost Trap. Over 100 participants came to this exclusive event with renowned unemployment expert, Tim Phelan, VP Client Services & Chief Legal Counsel of UTCA. Tim presented a thought-provoking and insightful overview of the unemployment system in the context of recent law

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What do Prisoners & Millionaires Have in Common?

First, a warm up question: Who takes longer to find work after filing for unemployment compensation, Millionaires or Prisoners? This is actually a trick question because prisoners don’t qualify for unemployment.  Prisoners, by being incarcerated, fail to meet the...

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Achieving Unemployment Savings & Good Corporate Citizenship

Isn’t this an oxymoron? The reality: Successful organizations aggressively and proactively manage their unemployment program and costs. They are engaged and knowledgeable as to trends and key data points ultimately impacting their unemployment spend, and then mobilize...

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UTCA Gets a Big Texas Welcome from the Lone Star state!

UTCA was warmly received by a large group of Dallas/Fort Worth area employers as UTCA presented their program “Clearing the Fog: Avoiding the Hidden Unemployment Cost Trap”. Kicking off the introduction, the Dallas Regional Chamber welcomed UTCA with a commemorative plaque and ribbon-cutting ceremony. Venerated unemployment expert, Atty. Tim Phelan, engaged the audience, enlightening them on sweeping changes to employer penalties and accountability mandated by the Trade Adjustment Assistance Extension Act of 2011 (TAAEA). Atty. Phelan stressed to employers the importance of examining their programs to assess process risks, whether managed in-house or by a third party administrator.

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Learn How to Reduce Unemployment Costs Through Outplacement Programs

UTCA’s March Topic of the Month outlines how to use outplacement programs to reduce on-going unemployment costs . Many employers believe when a claim has been approved and they’ve chosen not to appeal, there is nothing further they can do to reduce or eliminate payments on a claim. Although there are no absolutes, opportunities exist for the efficient and proactive employer to continue to reduce their own UI liability beyond individual case management practices.

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Record Overpayments Prompt Penalties for Employers and Their Unemployment Vendors

Billions in Unemployment Insurance overpayments recorded nationwide, have prompted the Federal Government to mandate state agencies to levy significant penalties on employers and their agents. In an effort to combat egregious claim processing errors and omissions (resulting in overpayments) effective October 21, 2013, employers and TPA’s must ensure claim response protocols meet new standards associated with timeliness and accuracy. A single failure to do so, or a pattern of failure, will incur loss of account credits or repayment funds currently provided. States have also been granted the ability to assess monetary and criminal penalties against employers and agents alike.

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UTCA Hosts 15th Annual Client Update

Unemployment Tax Control Associates (UTCA) hosted their 15th Annual Client Update at the Sheraton Monarch Place Hotel and Conference Center. “This year’s event was an overwhelming success. Our clients make this annual program remarkably entertaining and educational. Clearly, turnout at capacity levels, illustrates the value of these updates” said Suzanne Murphy.

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