50.44.060 - Nonprofit organization employees -- Financing of benefits -- Election of payments in lieu of contributions.

Nonprofit organization employees — Financing of benefits — Election of payments in lieu of contributions.

Benefits paid to employees of "nonprofit organizations" shall be financed in accordance with the provisions of this section. For the purpose of this section and RCW 50.44.070, the term "nonprofit organization" is limited to those organizations described in RCW 50.44.010, and joint accounts composed exclusively of such organizations.

     (1) Any nonprofit organization which is, or becomes subject to this title on or after January 1, 1972, shall pay contributions under the provisions of RCW 50.24.010 and chapter 50.29 RCW, unless it elects, in accordance with this subsection, to pay to the commissioner for the unemployment compensation fund an amount equal to the full amount of regular and additional benefits and one-half of the amount of extended benefits paid to individuals for weeks of unemployment that are based upon wages paid or payable during the effective period of such election to the extent that such payments are attributable to service in the employ of such nonprofit organization.

     (a) Any nonprofit organization which becomes subject to this title after January 1, 1972, may elect to become liable for payments in lieu of contributions for a period of not less than twelve months beginning with the date on which such subjectivity begins by filing a written notice of its election with the commissioner not later than thirty days immediately following the date of the determination of such subjectivity.

     (b) Any nonprofit organization which makes an election in accordance with (a) of this subsection will continue to be liable for payments in lieu of contributions until it files with the commissioner a written notice terminating its election not later than thirty days prior to the beginning of the taxable year for which such termination shall first be effective.

     (c) Any nonprofit organization which has been paying contributions under this title for a period subsequent to January 1, 1972, may change to a reimbursable basis by filing with the commissioner not later than thirty days prior to the beginning of any taxable year a written notice of election to become liable for payments in lieu of contributions. Such election shall not be terminable by the organization for that and the next year.

     (d) The commissioner may for good cause extend the period within which a notice of election, or a notice of termination, must be filed and may permit an election to be retroactive but not any earlier than with respect to benefits paid after December 31, 1969.

     (e) The commissioner, in accordance with such regulations as the commissioner may prescribe, shall notify each nonprofit organization of any determination which the commissioner may make of its status as an employer and of the effective date of any election which it makes and of any termination of such election. Any nonprofit organization subject to such determination and dissatisfied with such determination may file a request for review and redetermination with the commissioner within thirty days of the mailing of the determination to the organization. Should such request for review and redetermination be denied, the organization may, within ten days of the mailing of such notice of denial, file with the appeal tribunal a petition for hearing which shall be heard in the same manner as a petition for denial of refund. The appellate procedure prescribed by this title for further appeal shall apply to all denials of review and redetermination under this paragraph.

     (2) Payments in lieu of contributions shall be made in accordance with the provisions of this section including either (a) or (b) of this subsection.

     (a) At the end of each calendar quarter, the commissioner shall bill each nonprofit organization or group of such organizations which has elected to make payments in lieu of contributions for an amount equal to the full amount of regular and additional benefits plus one-half of the amount of extended benefits paid during such quarter that is attributable to service in the employ of such organization.

     (b)(i) Each nonprofit organization that has elected payments in lieu of contributions may request permission to make such payments as provided in this paragraph. Such method of payment shall become effective upon approval by the commissioner.

     (ii) At the end of each calendar quarter, or at the end of such other period as determined by the commissioner, the commissioner shall bill each nonprofit organization for an amount representing one of the following:

     (A) The percentage of its total payroll for the immediately preceding calendar year as the commissioner shall determine. Such determination shall be based each year on the average benefit costs attributable to service in the employ of nonprofit organizations during the preceding calendar year.

     (B) For any organization which did not pay wages throughout the four calendar quarters of the preceding calendar year, such percentage of its payroll during such year as the commissioner shall determine.

     (iii) At the end of each taxable year, the commissioner may modify the quarterly percentage of payroll thereafter payable by the nonprofit organization in order to minimize excess or insufficient payments.

     (iv) At the end of each taxable year, the commissioner shall determine whether the total of payments for such year made by a nonprofit organization is less than, or in excess of, the total amount of regular and additional benefits plus one-half of the amount of extended benefits paid to individuals during such taxable year based on wages attributable to service in the employ of such organization. Each nonprofit organization whose total payments for such year are less than the amount so determined shall be liable for payment of the unpaid balance to the fund in accordance with (c) of this subsection. If the total payments exceed the amount so determined for the taxable year, all of the excess payments will be retained in the fund as part of the payments which may be required for the next taxable year, or a part of the excess may, at the discretion of the commissioner, be refunded from the fund or retained in the fund as part of the payments which may be required for the next taxable year.

     (c) Payment of any bill rendered under (a) or (b) of this subsection shall be made not later than thirty days after such bill was mailed to the last known address of the nonprofit organization or was otherwise delivered to it, and if not paid within such thirty days, the reimbursement payments itemized in the bill shall be deemed to be delinquent and the whole or part thereof remaining unpaid shall bear interest and penalties from and after the end of such thirty days at the rate and in the manner set forth in RCW 50.12.220 and 50.24.040.

     (d) Payments made by any nonprofit organization under the provisions of this section shall not be deducted or deductible, in whole or in part, from the remuneration of individuals in the employ of the organization. Any deduction in violation of the provisions of this paragraph shall be unlawful.

     (3) Each employer that is liable for payments in lieu of contributions shall pay to the commissioner for the fund the total amount of regular and additional benefits plus the amount of one-half of extended benefits paid that are attributable to service in the employ of such employer. If benefits paid to an individual are based on wages paid by more than one employer and one or more of such employers are liable for payments in lieu of contributions, the amount payable to the fund by each employer that is liable for such payments shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of (a) and (b) of this subsection.

     (a) If benefits paid to an individual are based on wages paid by one or more employers that are liable for payments in lieu of contributions and on wages paid by one or more employers who are liable for contributions, the amount of benefits payable by each employer that is liable for payments in lieu of contributions shall be an amount which bears the same ratio to the total benefits paid to the individual as the total base-period wages paid to the individual by such employer bear to the total base-period wages paid to the individual by all of his or her base-period employers.

     (b) If benefits paid to an individual are based on wages paid by two or more employers that are liable for payments in lieu of contributions, the amount of benefits payable by each such employer shall be an amount which bears the same ratio to the total benefits paid to the individual as the total base-period wages paid to the individual by such employer bear to the total base-period wages paid to the individual by all of his or her base-period employers.

[2010 c 8 § 13043; 1990 c 245 § 9; 1983 1st ex.s. c 23 § 24; 1977 ex.s. c 292 § 19; 1971 c 3 § 23.]

Notes: Conflict with federal requirements -- Effective dates -- 1990 c 245: See notes following RCW 50.04.030.

Conflict with federal requirements -- Effective dates -- Construction -- 1983 1st ex.s. c 23: See notes following RCW 50.04.073.

Effective dates -- 1977 ex.s. c 292: See note following RCW 50.04.116.