3. How are services for the WS program calculated? If otherwise eligible, employees who participate in the employer-approved WS plan will receive the percentage of their weekly amount of UI benefits equal to the percentage of the reduction in hours of work for that week. They continue to pay a regular wage equal to the number of hours worked per week. For example, if an employer has to reduce its hours of work by 30%, employees are entitled to 30% of their unemployment insurance benefits. In a proposal from the Hamilton Project, economists Katharine Abraham and Susan Houseman outlined reforms that would facilitate the use of the division of labor. The importance of these reforms in addressing the current economic downturn was discussed in more detail in a recent webcast titled “Unemployment Insurance during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Reducing the Impact of this Economic Downturn.” 9. Do my employees have to look for work when they have reduced their working hours? No. Under the WS program, an employee is not required to be available or apply for another job or to conduct an active job search. Employees must be available to work all the hours you have for them. Yes, state legislation has generally won the support of workers` organizations.
In most states, union approval of employers` division of labor plans is required if the company has a unionized workforce. Workers keep their jobs and unions keep their members. 1. What is work-sharing? This is a voluntary program of the Maryland Division of Unemployment Insurance (DUI) that offers an alternative to layoffs for employers facing a sharp temporary drop in business. The work-sharing (WS) program allows an employer to reduce costs by allocating available work hours among employees. During the reduction of working time, employees are also entitled to short-time working insurance (UI) benefits based on their reduction in weekly working time. Yes, an UNEMPLOYMENT claimant who has exhausted work-sharing benefits or combined the division of labour and regular unemployment benefits in a benefit year would be entitled to extended benefits if this is not the case. The division of labor does not appear to have a significant impact on the state`s unemployment insurance trust funds. According to a study by the U.S. Department of Labor, division of labor benefits are valued at least as high as regular unemployment benefits. In other words, an employer who participates in a labour-sharing program is likely to repay the trust fund through unemployment taxes or direct refunds. 16.
Are most applications generally approved and what is the timeline for approval? All completed WS applications submitted by employers to the Department of Unemployment Insurance will be accepted for review. Approval procedures are set out in Section 8-1203 of the Maryland Unemployment Insurance Act. Under normal circumstances, this process takes about 7 days. However, due to the current business climate, the approval process takes a little longer, but we still do our best to stay within the 10-day legal response time after receiving the completed WS plan request. The division of labour offers employers the opportunity to respond to a drop in demand by reducing working hours instead of laying off workers. This approach maintains employer-employee relationships, minimizes layoffs, and supports workers with reduced hours. The division of labor can be especially useful when the drop in demand is expected to be temporary, as many see as likely for this pandemic-related recession. 31. Since hours of work can vary from week to week, who is responsible for reporting the hours actually worked? The employer is responsible for reporting the hours worked on the weekly application form submitted to the WS program each week. The employee`s only obligation is to work all the hours that the employer provides each week. Division of labour benefits are paid by the State Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund (UI).
Most employers pay taxes based on the size of their workforce and their experience with downsizing over time (this is called experience assessment). Employers who have a stable workforce and pay fewer benefits tend to have lower tax rates than those who are often laid off. Division of labour benefits are charged to employers who pay taxes or are awarded to employers (e.g. B, non-profit organisations and public institutions) which reimburse the trust fund in the same way as regular unemployment benefits. 27. How can I see if my business is eligible and applying? Please email ui.worksharing@maryland.gov and a representative will contact you. Using a WS plan can make it easier for employees to take advantage of benefits and will help employers by encouraging employees to keep their jobs with their current employers. Workers must be able to be available and active in the search for full-time employment in order to be eligible for short-time working assistance.
If there is a WS plan, employees simply need to be able and available to work the hours provided to them by their WS employer. 10. If I have unionized members, does the union have to approve the plan? Yes. If your employees have a collective agreement, the consent of the union negotiator must be attached to the application. Work-sharing (WS) is a program that helps employers and employees avoid layoffs when business activity temporarily decreases, which is beyond the employer`s control. The program provides Employment Insurance (EI) benefits to eligible employees who agree to reduce their regular hours of work and share available work while their employer recovers. Work-sharing is an agreement between employers, employees and the Canadian government. Under current legislation, a sharp increase in a state`s unemployment rate triggers an extension of the benefits available in that state; The federal government will cover half of the costs of these extensions. The same federal-state program could improve the use of the division of labor. Abraham and Houseman suggest that the federal government cover half the cost of labor-sharing programs when benefits enhanced by unemployment insurance are triggered in a state.
As explained below, Congress has recently gone beyond this proposal, but only temporarily. To expand coverage, Abraham and Houseman propose that Congress pass laws requiring states to have a labor-sharing program as part of their unemployment insurance system to participate in the federal-state unemployment insurance system. To encourage government admission, they also propose that the U.S. Department of Labor modify its funding formula to more specifically fund the administrative burden on the state associated with the implementation and promotion of labor-sharing programs. In order to counter the increase in the volume of applications and to better support all employers and employees, applications are processed on a start date basis. Applications submitted more than 10 business days prior to the requested start date of the agreement will be processed as efficiently as possible to meet the requested start date, but processing may exceed 10 business days. Maintaining relations between employers and employees is twofold. First, it can prevent huge spikes in permanent job losses, which are financially ruinous for many families. Workers continue their jobs, albeit with reduced hours, thus avoiding many of the harmful effects of losing a job (such as losing health insurance coverage). Second, employers and employees will avoid costly research, hiring, and training once demand finally picks up. Job sharing means that two (or more) employees share the duties of a full-time job, each working part-time, or that two or more employees who have unrelated part-time assignments share the same budget line. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not address job sharing.
Job sharing is a matter of agreement between an employer and an employee (or their representative). Yes, states can allow employees who receive work-sharing benefits to participate in an employer-sponsored training program to improve their job skills. Other training resources at the federal and state levels may also be available for employees participating in labor sharing programs. 21. How are benefits paid to my employees? Payments are made by direct deposit or paper cheque. WS benefits are not paid to a WS employee/applicant until the employer and applicant have certified the hours worked. The employer must submit the certification information weekly to the Department of Re-Employment and Commerce. This simple form requires the applicant`s name, social security number, hours worked and signature. The CARES act, which was passed on September 25. Launched in March 2020, it encourages states and employers to take advantage of division of labor programs. The federal government reimburses 100% of the cost of short-term compensation paid in states that have labor-sharing programs. For states that do not have a work-sharing program, the CARES Act includes funds to pay for short-term benefits with a federal coverage rate of 50%.
Finally, the CARES Act allocates grants to states to promote and improve the implementation and management of division of labor programs. First, States could seek ways to expedite the process of establishing a plan for the division of labour and payment of benefits. Second, States could remove policies that tend to prevent the use of the division of labour and push employers to dismiss. For example, some states prohibit employers who have made extensive use of the UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE system in the past from participating in labor-sharing programs. In addition, some states impose higher effective tax rates on employers who opt for work-sharing programs than if they fired their employees. These guidelines are designed to prevent abuses of the unemployment insurance system and can prevent the division of labour, especially in times of downturn. Abraham and Houseman recommend that Congress add a ban on the use of these guidelines to the existing eligibility criteria for states to participate in the federal-state unemployment insurance system. .