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| ARTICLE 3 AS AMENDED |
RELATING TO MAKING IT EASIER TO DO BUSINESS IN RHODE ISLAND
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| SECTION 1. Section 28-43-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 28-43 entitled |
| “Employment Security – Contributions” is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 28-43-8. Experience rates – Tables. -- (a)(1) Whenever, as of September 30, 1987 2016, |
| or any subsequent computation date, the amount in the employment security fund available for |
| benefits is six and four tenths percent (6.4%) or more of total payrolls as determined in § 28-43- |
| 1(9), an experience rate for each eligible employer for the immediately following calendar year |
| shall be determined in accordance with schedule A in this subsection. |
| (2) Whenever, as of September 30, 1987 2016, or any subsequent computation date, the |
| amount in the employment security fund available for benefits is six and one-tenth percent (6.1%) |
| five and five-tenths percent (5.5%) but less than six and four-tenths (6.4%) of total payrolls as |
| determined in § 28-43-1(9), an experience rate for each eligible employer for the immediately |
| following calendar year shall be determined in accordance with schedule B in this subsection. |
| (3) Whenever, as of September 30, 1987 2016, or any subsequent computation date, the |
| amount in the employment security fund available for benefits is five and eight-tenths percent |
| (5.8%) four and seventy-five hundredths percent (4.75%) but less than six and one-tenth (6.1%) |
| five and five-tenths percent (5.5%) of total payrolls as determined in § 28-43-1(9), an experience |
| rate for each eligible employer for the immediately following calendar year shall be determined in |
| accordance with schedule C in this subsection. |
| (4) Whenever, as of September 30, 1987 2016, or any subsequent computation date, the |
| amount in the employment security fund available for benefits is five and three-tenths percent |
| (5.3%) four percent (4.0%) but less than five and eight-tenths (5.8%) four and seventy-five |
| hundredths percent (4.75%) of total payrolls as determined in § 28-43-1(9), an experience rate for |
| each eligible employer for the immediately following calendar year shall be determined in |
| accordance with schedule D in this subsection. |
| (5) Whenever, as of September 30, 1987 2016, or any subsequent computation date, the |
| amount in the employment security fund available for benefits is four and seven-tenths percent |
| (4.7%) three and twenty-five hundredths percent (3.25%) but less than five and three-tenths |
| (5.3%) four percent (4.0%) of total payrolls as determined in § 28-43-1(9), an experience rate for |
| each eligible employer for the immediately following calendar year shall be determined in |
| accordance with schedule E in this subsection. |
| (6) Whenever, as of September 30, 1987 2016, or any subsequent computation date, the |
| amount in the employment security fund available for benefits is three and six-tenths percent |
| (3.6%) two and five-tenths percent (2.5%) but less than four and seven-tenths (4.7%) three and |
| twenty-five hundredths percent (3.25%) of total payrolls as determined in § 28-43-1(9), an |
| experience rate for each eligible employer for the immediately following calendar year shall be |
| determined in accordance with schedule F in this subsection. |
| (7) Whenever, as of September 30, 1987 2016, or any subsequent computation date, the |
| amount in the employment security fund available for benefits is three percent (3%) one and |
| seventy-five hundredths percent (1.75%) but less than three and six-tenths (3.6%) two and five- |
| tenths percent (2.5%) of total payrolls as determined in § 28-43-1(9), an experience rate for each |
| eligible employer for the immediately following calendar year shall be determined in accordance |
| with schedule G in this subsection. |
| (8) Whenever, as of September 30, 1987 2016, or any subsequent computation date, the |
| amount in the employment security fund available for benefits is two and seventy five hundredths |
| percent (2.75%) one percent (1.0%) but less than three percent (3%) one and seventy-five |
| hundredths percent (1.75%) of total payrolls as determined in § 28-43-1(9), an experience rate for |
| each eligible employer for the immediately following calendar year shall be determined in |
| accordance with schedule H in this subsection. |
| (9) Whenever, as of September 30, 1987 2016, or any subsequent computation date, the |
| amount in the employment security fund available for benefits is less than two and seventy five |
| hundredths percent (2.75%) one percent (1.0%) of total payrolls as determined in § 28-43-1(9), an |
| experience rate for each eligible employer for the immediately following calendar year shall be |
| determined in accordance with schedule I in this subsection. |
| [See Tax Schedules] |
| (10) [Deleted by P.L. 2010, ch. 23, art. 22, § 3]. |
| (b) The contribution rate for each employer for a given calendar year shall be determined |
| and the employer notified of it not later than April 1 next succeeding each computation date. That |
| determination shall be binding unless an appeal is taken in accordance with provisions of § 28- |
| 43-13. |
| SECTION 2. Chapter 28-39 of the General Laws entitled “Temporary Disability |
| Insurance – General Provisions” is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: |
| 28-39-41. Task Force. -- (a) There is hereby established a task force on temporary |
| disability insurance fraud and program integrity. The task force shall consist of the following |
| members or their designees: |
| (1) The director of labor and training or designee; |
| (2) The secretary of health and human services or designee; |
| (3) The director of health or designee; |
| (4) The director of the office of management and budget or designee; and |
| (5) The attorney general or designee. |
| The director of labor and training shall chair the task force. |
| (b) The task force shall coordinate joint efforts to combat fraud and abuse in the |
| temporary disability insurance program. The task force shall: |
| (1) Foster appropriate use of the program by both claimants and qualified healthcare |
| providers by educating them about the intent of the program, the benefits provided, acceptable |
| use of benefits, and applicable requirements; |
| (2) Protect the integrity of the temporary disability insurance fund by performing joint |
| investigations into fraudulent activities; and |
| (3) Employ best practices, as established by other insurance programs both public and |
| private, to ensure program goals and objectives are aimed at providing efficient and effective |
| services to all customers. |
| (c) Notwithstanding any other law or regulation to the contrary, the task force shall |
| facilitate timely information sharing between and among task force members, including the |
| establishment of protocols by which participating agencies will advise or refer to other agencies |
| matters of potential interest. |
| SECTION 3. Sections 28-41-11 and 28-41-15 of the General Laws in Chapter 28-41 |
| entitled “Temporary Disability Insurance – Benefits” are hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 28-41-15. Filing of claims – Restriction on waiting period credit or benefits – Copies |
| of law and regulations. -- (a) Benefit claims shall be filed pursuant to prescribed regulations. |
| (b) No individual shall be eligible for waiting period credits or benefits under this title for |
| any week of unemployment due to sickness which that occurs more than fifty-two (52) weeks |
| ninety (90) days prior to the time when written notice of his or her claim for waiting period |
| credits or benefits is mailed or delivered to the department of labor and training or such other |
| agency as the director may designate. Notwithstanding the above, the director may extend the |
| claim filing period up to twenty-six (26) weeks if the individual can show a good, medical reason |
| for the delay in filing the claim for benefits. |
| (c) Each employer shall post and maintain printed statements of subsection (b) of this |
| section and of those regulations, in places readily accessible to individuals in his or her service. |
| Those printed statements shall be supplied by the director to each employer without cost to that |
| employer. |
| (d) Upon the filing of a claim, the director shall promptly mail a notice of the filing of the |
| claim to the claimant's most recent employer and to all employers for whom the claimant states |
| he or she performed services and earned wages during his or her base period. The employers shall |
| promptly furnish the information required to determine the claimant's benefit rights. If the |
| claimant's employer or employers have any information which that might affect either the |
| validity of the claim or the right of the claimant to waiting period credit or benefits, the employer |
| shall return the notice with this information. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of |
| chapters 39 – 41 of this title, any employer who fails, without good cause as established to the |
| satisfaction of the director, to return the notice within seven (7) working days of its mailing shall |
| pay a penalty of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for each failure. This penalty shall be paid into the |
| temporary disability insurance reserve fund and, if any employer fails to pay the penalty, when |
| assessed, it shall be collected by civil action as provided in § 28-40-12. |
| SECTION 4. Section 1 shall take effect as of September 30, 2016. Sections 2 and 3 shall |
| take effect as of January 1, 2017. |
| TAX SCHEDULES |
| Employers Schedule Schedule Schedule Schedule Schedule Schedule Schedule Schedule Schedule |
| Account A B C D E F G H I |
| Reserve Reserve Reserve Reserve Reserve Reserve Reserve Reserve Reserve Reserve |
| Percent Ratio of Ratio of Ratio of Ratio of Ratio of Ratio of Ratio of Ratio of Ratio of |
| Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund |
| 6.4% 6.1% 5.8% 5.3% 4.7% 3.6% 3.0% 2.75% under |
| or more 5.5% 4.75% 4.0% 3.25% 2.5% 1.75% 1.0% 2.75% |
| but less but less but less but less but less but less but less 1.0% |
| than than than than than than than |
| 6.4% 6.1% 5.8% 5.3% 4.7% 3.6% 3.0% |
| 5.5% 4.75% 4.0% 3.25% 2.5% 1.75% |
| POSITIVE PERCENTAGES |
| 21.50 and over 0.21 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.9 1.1 1.2 1.2 |
| 20.00 to 21.49 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.3 1.5 |
| 18.50 to 19.99 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.1 1.4 1.5 1.8 |
| 17.00 and |
| over to 18.49 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.2 1.5 1.7 1.9 2.1 |
| 15.50 to 16.99 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.3 1.5 1.8 2.1 1.9 2.3 2.4 |
| 14.00 to 15.49 0.9 1.0 1.2 1.3 1.5 1.7 2.0 2.3 2.1 2.6 2.7 |
| 12.50 to 13.99 1.1 1.2 1.4 1.5 1.7 2.0 2.3 2.6 2.4 2.9 3.0 |
| 11.00 to 12.49 1.3 1.4 1.6 1.7 1.9 2.2 2.5 2.8 2.7 3.1 3.3 |
| 9.50 to 10.99 1.5 1.7 1.8 1.9 2.1 2.4 2.7 3.0 2.9 3.3 3.5 |
| 8.00 to 9.49 1.7 1.9 2.0 2.2 2.4 2.7 2.9 3.2 3.1 3.5 3.7 |
| 6.50 to 7.99 1.9 2.1 2.3 2.5 2.6 2.9 3.1 3.4 3.3 3.7 3.9 |
| 5.00 to 6.49 2.1 2.3 2.5 2.7 2.8 3.1 3.4 3.6 3.9 4.1 |
| 3.50 to 4.99 2.3 2.5 2.7 2.9 3.0 3.1 3.3 3.7 3.9 4.2 4.3 |
| 2.00 to 3.49 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.0 3.2 3.3 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.9 4.0 4.2 4.5 4.6 |
| 0.00 to 1.99 2.7 3.0 3.0 3.2 3.2 3.4 3.4 3.6 3.6 3.9 3.9 4.2 4.2 4.4 4.5 4.8 4.9 |
| NEGATIVE PERCENTAGES |
| - 0.01 to -1.99 3.0 3.3 3.3 3.5 3.5 3.8 3.8 4.2 4.2 4.5 4.5 4.8 4.8 5.0 5.1 5.4 5.5 |
| - 2.00 to - 3.99 3.3 3.5 3.5 3.8 3.8 4.1 4.1 4.5 4.5 4.8 4.8 5.1 5.1 5.3 5.4 5.7 5.8 |
| - 4.00 to - 5.99 3.6 3.8 3.8 4.1 4.1 4.4 4.4 4.8 4.8 5.1 5.1 5.4 5.4 5.7 5.8 6.0 6.1 |
| - 6.00 to - 7.99 3.9 4.1 4.1 4.4 4.4 4.7 4.7 5.1 5.1 5.4 5.4 5.8 5.8 6.1 6.2 6.4 6.5 |
| - 8.00 to - 9.99 4.2 4.4 4.4 4.7 4.7 5.0 5.0 5.4 5.4 5.8 5.8 6.2 6.2 6.5 6.6 6.8 6.9 |
| -10.00 to -11.99 4.5 4.7 4.7 5.0 5.0 5.4 5.4 5.8 5.8 6.2 6.2 6.6 6.6 6.9 7.0 7.2 7.3 |
| -12.00 to -13.99 4.8 5.0 5.0 5.4 5.4 5.8 5.8 6.2 6.2 6.6 6.6 7.0 7.0 7.3 7.4 7.6 7.7 |
| -14.00 to -15.99 5.1 5.4 5.4 5.8 5.8 6.2 6.2 6.6 6.6 7.0 7.0 7.4 7.4 7.7 7.8 8.0 8.1 |
| -16.00 to -17.99 5.4 5.8 5.8 6.2 6.2 6.6 6.6 7.0 7.0 7.4 7.4 7.8 7.8 8.1 8.2 8.4 8.5 |
| -18.00 to -19.99 5.8 6.2 6.2 6.6 6.6 7.0 7.0 7.4 7.4 7.8 7.8 8.2 8.2 8.5 8.6 8.8 8.9 |
| -20.00 to -21.99 6.2 6.6 6.6 7.0 7.0 7.4 7.4 7.8 7.8 8.2 8.2 8.6 8.6 8.9 9.0 9.2 9.3 |
| -22.00 to -23.99 6.6 7.0 7.0 7.4 7.4 7.8 7.8 8.2 8.2 8.6 8.6 9.0 9.0 9.3 9.4 9.6 9.7 |
| -24.00 and over 7.0 7.4 7.4 7.8 7.8 8.2 8.2 8.6 8.6 9.0 9.0 9.4 9.4 9.7 9.8 10.0 |