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UI Quarterly News
3rd Quarter 2004
Reminder: The UI Quarterly News is no longer being mailed. The most current information regarding unemployment insurance, including current and previous newsletters, is available via the Internet at www.coworkforce.com/UIT/.
Hard copies are available through Unemployment Insurance (UI) Operations at 303-318-9000.
Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
Unemployment Insurance Operations
P.O. Box 8789, Denver, CO 80201-8789
303-318-9100 (Denver-metro area)
1-800-480-8299 (outside Denver-metro area)
www.coloradoworkforce.com
| Bill Owens Governor |
 |
Jeffrey M. Wells
Executive Director |
SUPER SYSTEM UPDATE
Current information about the State Unemployment Program E-government Resource (SUPER) system is available on the SUPER System Project Web page. The Benefits phase of the SUPER system will be released in November of 2004. The Tax phase of the SUPER system is to be released in December of 2004. Visit this Web page by clicking on the SUPER System Project link that is posted on the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment Web site at:
www.coloradoworkforce.com/UIT/ .
REPLICATION OF TAX-AND-WAGE REPORTS
The tax-and-wage report is being redesigned for use with the new State Unemployment Program E-government Resource (SUPER) system. Each tax-and-wage report includes unique features for accurate scanning and processing of data. With the Tax release, scheduled for late 2004, taxes and wages must be reported on the new Form UIS-270, Unemployment Insurance Tax-and-Wage Report, as provided by the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Program or via the Internet.
However, in order to provide additional flexibility, specifications are now available for replication of the tax report, the wage report, or both the tax-and-wage report. Employers who want to recreate the tax and/or wage report will be selected through an application and testing process. Applicants will receive an instructional packet detailing specifications for recreating the tax and/or wage report. Employers cannot submit replicated tax and/or wage reports until samples are approved by the UI Program.
If you are interested in replicating the tax and/or wage report, click on Application to Replicate the Tax-and-Wage Report, or for more information, contact us at unemp.tax@state.co.us or 303-318-9203.
REMINDER
Please do not submit quarterly unemployment insurance tax payments that are less than $5.00. However, quarterly tax-and-wage reports must be submitted regardless of the amount owed.
CHANGES IN TAX RATES FOR 2005
In accordance with the Colorado Employment Security Act (CESA) 8-76-102 (5)(a), the calendar year 2005 combined tax rate will include a solvency tax surcharge for all ratable employer accounts. The solvency tax surcharge is assessed and added to the standard or computed tax rate when the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Trust Fund balance, on any June 30, is equal to or less than nine-tenths of one percent of the total wages reported by all ratable Colorado employers for the calendar year or the four-consecutive quarters prior to the last computation date. The surcharge increases in yearly increments as established by CESA 8-76-102 (5)(a) until the UI Trust Fund balance is greater than nine-tenths of one percent of the total wages. The solvency tax surcharge cannot exceed the rate limits set forth by CESA 8-76-102 (5)(b).
The UI Trust Fund is at a monetary level such that the base tax rate for calendar year 2005 is moving four tax-rate schedules, increasing tax rates for most employers. You will receive notification via Form UITR-7, Notice of Employer’s Tax Rate. Form UITR-80, Notice of Tax Rate and Solvency Tax Surcharge for Calendar Year 2005, is included as an insert with the tax-and-wage-report packets for the third quarter of 2004. Form UITR-80 is also posted on the UI Tax Home page along with a more detailed explanation of tax rates titled “Solvency Tax Surcharge and Its Impact on Tax Rates for Calendar Year 2005.”
QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS?
To contact us, call 303-318-9100 (Denver-metro area) or 1-800-480-8299 (outside Denver-metro area). For tax questions and issues related specifically to your account, send e-mail inquiries to unemp.tax@state.co.us.
Send comments or questions related to the genesis Project and the State Unemployment Program E-government Resource (SUPER) system through the genesis Employer mailbox at uiemployerinquiry@state.co.us . For issues not related to the SUPER system or the genesis Project, please continue to use the unemp.tax@state.co.us e-mail address for faster service. For questions relating to the Colorado Employment Security Act or the Regulations Concerning Employment Security, please send e-mails to unemp.tax@state.co.us .
SUBMISSION OF FORM UIS-339, REQUEST FOR JOB-SEPARATION INFORMATION
Upon release of the State Unemployment Program E-government Resource (SUPER) system Benefits phase, Form UIS-339, Request for Job Separation Information, will replace Form UIB-290, Request for Job-Separation Information. Form UIS-339 will contain a unique correspondence number and bar code. This bar code cannot be reproduced or reused; therefore, the original Unemployment-Insurance-Program-generated form must be returned.
NEW FORMAT OF THE EMPLOYER ACCOUNT NUMBER
The new unemployment identification number (UID) will be 11 digits; the current employer account number is nine digits. Two zeroes are being added to the existing employer account numbers to align them with the 11-digit format. (For example, if the current account number reads 123456.78-9; the new UID will read 0123456.078-9.) After the Benefits release in November, Benefits forms generated out of the State Unemployment Program E-government Resource (SUPER) system will contain the new 11-digit UID. Please use the Benefits forms with the 11-digit UID, and for all other forms, continue to use the 9-digit employer account number until further instructed. The following are some common benefits forms that will show the new UID:
NEW FORMS EFFECTIVE WITH THE BENEFITS RELEASE
The following two new forms may be sent to you after the Benefits phase is released:INTERNET FILING OF TAX-AND-WAGE REPORTS
After the Benefits release, employers will be able to provide wage information for an unlimited number of employees when filing the quarterly tax-and-wage report on the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) Web site. Currently, you can file wage information for up to 100 employees.
IVR MENU CHANGES
As of August 2004, the Main Menu options on the interactive-voice-response (IVR) system have changed. Instead of having a general Main Menu, each Unemployment Insurance (UI) Program telephone number is routed directly to the appropriate menu: Benefits, Employer (Tax), or the Colorado Unemployment Benefits Line (CUBLine). Because of this, it is important that you place your calls to the Tax number at 303-318-9100 so that your call is routed to the Colorado UI Employer and Tax Services Contact Center menu. This allows our customer-service representatives to better serve you.
Upon connection, you will be informed that menu options have changed. You will then be instructed to press or speak “1” for your party’s extension or to press or speak “2” to continue. Spanish service will not be available for calls placed to the Tax telephone number. Once the Colorado UI Employer and Tax Services Contact Center menu is reached, you are presented with the menu options that you are already familiar with.
ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Governor Owens Declares September 2004 as Workforce Development Month
As Colorado's economy continues to turn around, the time is right to focus on the quality of jobs, invest in the skills of our workforce, and support an environment conducive to small-business growth. To focus Colorado on the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead, Governor Bill Owens has declared September as Workforce Development Month. The vibrant economy we build today will make Colorado a state that offers higher incomes and delivers new opportunities for working women and men. A variety of events will be held across the state during September, all designed to focus on workforce trends and issues for today and the future. If your company would like to participate in an event, call Julie Berge at 303-318-8836, or to view the September calendar of events, visit http://www.coworkforce.com/wd .
Small Business Symposium September 10
Colorado Convention Center, 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The Denver Metro Workforce Centers will hold a special event to help new and established small-business owners flourish in today's economy. Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, a former small-business owner, will welcome the attendees and Barry Moltz, author of the book You Need To Be A Little Crazy: The Truth About Starting and Growing Your Business, will deliver the keynote address. Twelve workshops will provide opportunities for small-business owners to expand their workforce, plan for the future, and push their companies harder and faster. To register for the symposium or for more information, visit http://www.coworkforce.com/wd .
E3 Career and Resource Fair September 29
Colorado Convention Center, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The E3 Career and Resource Fair is an event for job seekers and those interested in transitioning into a new career. The Career and Resource Fair will focus on three critical elements of Colorado’s emerging and growing industries: employment, education, and economic growth. Employers will participate in panel discussions to explain their businesses, future employment opportunities, and the education it takes to get into various fields. Representatives from educational institutions will be present, providing information on relevant education programs. Other resources include representatives from government, educational, and nonprofit organizations. There will also be a critique of resumes provided by the Colorado Workforce Centers.
If your company would like to participate in the E3 Career and Resource Fair, contact Julie Berge at 303-318-8836. For more information, visit http://www.coworkforce.com/wd .
DO WE HAVE YOUR CURRENT ADDRESS?
Over the next several months, we will mail important employer-account information. This information will include your new personal identification number, which will be required to perform maintenance functions on your account through our Web site, www.coloradoworkforce.com/UIT/ . Please be certain that we have a current address on record so that you receive this valuable information.