Unemployment Insurance (UI)

Unemployment Insurance (UI)

Unemployment insurance is a insurances program that helps to partially replace lost salary when you are out of work.  Like a auto insurance, fire, accident, health and other types of insurance, it is for an emergency: when you are temporarily or permanently out of a employment, or if you work less than full time because of lack of work.

This insurance make sure that, if you meet the requirement​​ of the law, you will have some income while you are looking for a job, up to a maximum of 26 full weeks in a one-year period, depending on when the claim was​ established.  Unemployment insurance, however, cannot and does not protect you against salary losses while you are absent from work due to sickness or while you are idle by choice.

Requirement for Unemployment insurance

Employee Qualifications:
1. the employee should have employment capacity and have skills and knowledge.

2. There should be no condition that leads to termination of the job of employee.

3. The individual is free from control and direction with the work  of their services.

Employer Qualifications:

Any Individuals or  businesses that pay wages and salaries are required to open a unemployment account with the government in different Countries.

1.     Register as a new employer to the government.

2.     Review and update your  unemployment insurance account information

3.     Submit unemployment insurance contribution reports to the government

4.     Pay fees for the insurance.

Individuals NOT Eligible for Unemployment Insurance

1.     Workers During any Week They Work or Refuse Work.

2.     Evidence showing that the individual was paid for services performed on behalf of the employer

3.     Evidence that the individual declined available work at any point in time during the week or weeks at issue.

4.     A written contact between the employer and the employee providing notification for the short-term shutdown or unpaid vacation.

5.     The short-term shutdown or unpaid vacation was the result of the employer’s regular policy or practice.

6.     Attendance problems, if the employee cannot show good cause for absences or tardiness

7.     Damaging the employer’s property through willful negligence

8.     Refusing to obey instructions

9.     Reporting to work under the influence of alcohol or drugs

10.                        Endangering the safety of self or co-workers

11.                        Any breach of duty reasonably owed to the employer

Employer Premium Rates:

Employer of  a company is required to pay Employer premium to fund the annual interest to the Government of the Country. Employer premium rate is determined by following steps:

1. Identifies Employer type of UI premium rate (new employer, new construction employer, penalty or merit)

2. Identifies Employer experience rate ratio

3. Identifies Employer premium rate from the applicable schedule

4. Identifies Employer Applied Premium Rate

There are three types of UI premium rates:

1) NEW EMPLOYER RATE:
2) PENALTY RATE:
3) MERIT RATE:

Legal Action:
If you fail to pay your quarterly UI premiums timely, the following will occur:

• A penalty charge of 10% of the quarterly premium amount will be assessed;

• You will be charged 1% interest on the premium amount due for each month the amount is outstanding; and

• A penalty of 50% of the outstanding amount will be assessed if it is found that you committed fraud with the intent to evade payment.