Tag Archives: unemployment benefits

Learn effective approaches to handling unemployment benefit claims, reducing costs, and navigating regulatory requirements with Dunn Corporate Resources.

Dunn Corporate Resources Celebrates 9 Years of SIDES Excellence

At Dunn Corporate Resources, we are proud to announce that we have been honored with the prestigious SIDES Award for Outstanding Performance in Unemployment Claims Response by the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) for the 9th consecutive year. This remarkable achievement highlights our steadfast commitment to excellence, innovation, and client success in unemployment claims management.

What is the SIDES Award?

The State Information Data Exchange System (SIDES) is a nationwide, web-based platform that streamlines the electronic exchange of unemployment insurance (UI) claims data between employers, third-party administrators (TPAs), and state workforce agencies. By reducing paperwork, curbing fraud, and speeding up response times, SIDES enhances accuracy, security, and efficiency in the claims process. The SIDES Award recognizes organizations that excel in leveraging this system to promote UI integrity and deliver exceptional results for their clients.

Nine Years of Leadership in Unemployment Claims Management

For nine straight years, Dunn Corporate Resources has set the industry standard in unemployment claims response. Our advanced, SIDES-integrated platform enables us to process claims with unparalleled speed and precision, ensuring no claim goes overlooked. This milestone reflects our team’s dedication to:

Rapid Responses: Our fully integrated SIDES system allows us to receive and respond to claims as soon as they are generated by state agencies, providing clients with critical lead time compared to traditional mail-based processes. With some state deadlines as short as 7 days, this efficiency is vital for compliance and cost control.
Precision and Compliance: Each response is meticulously reviewed by our unemployment experts before submission to maximize the likelihood of favorable rulings. Our processes adhere to state-specific laws and federal regulations, helping clients avoid penalties and preserve appeal rights.
Client-Focused Technology: Our intuitive client portal empowers employers to respond to claims, track real-time updates, access claim archives, and generate tailored reports—all within a single, user-friendly dashboard. This transparency simplifies unemployment management for businesses of all sizes.
Cost Efficiency: By harnessing SIDES and our proprietary claims management system, we help clients secure the lowest possible unemployment tax rates, prevent overpayments, and obtain all eligible UI account credits. Our economies of scale deliver significant savings.

Why This Matters to Our Clients

Earning the SIDES Award for nine consecutive years underscores our ability to deliver tangible value to employers across all 50 states. Unemployment claims can be intricate, with varying state deadlines, documentation requirements, and legal complexities. Missed responses or errors can result in lost appeal rights, higher tax rates, or unwarranted payouts. Our award-winning approach ensures clients can focus on their core business while we manage the complexities of claims processing.

As NASWA President and CEO Scott B. Sanders emphasized, organizations recognized for SIDES excellence “demonstrate exceptional dedication to preserving the integrity of the Unemployment Insurance system” and ensure “taxpayer dollars are used responsibly.” We are honored to be among the 61 state agencies, employers, TPAs, and professional employer organizations celebrated for this commitment in 2024.

A Legacy of Innovation and Collaboration

This nine-year streak is more than an award—it’s a reflection of our strong partnerships with clients and our investment in cutting-edge technology. From our early adoption of SIDES to our custom-built software tailored to client needs, we’ve consistently raised the bar for TPA performance. Our team of seasoned HR professionals works closely with clients, offering personalized support, policy guidance, and expertise on everything from termination documentation to navigating state-specific UI regulations.

Looking to the Future

As we celebrate this milestone, we’re already looking ahead. The unemployment landscape is dynamic, with evolving regulations, technologies, and economic trends. Dunn Corporate Resources is committed to staying at the forefront, enhancing our SIDES-integrated systems, and delivering even greater value to our clients. Whether you’re a small business or a national enterprise, we’re here to simplify your employment lifecycle management and drive cost savings.

Experience the Award-Winning Difference

Ready to partner with a nine-time SIDES Award winner? Contact Dunn Corporate Resources today for a no-cost analysis of your unemployment tax account. Let our experts demonstrate how our SIDES-based platform can save you time, money, and stress. Visit www.dunncorp.com or connect with our team to learn more.

Thank you to our clients, partners, and team members for making these nine years of excellence possible. Here’s to continuing our legacy of leadership in unemployment claims management!

About Dunn Corporate Resources
Dunn Corporate Resources is a leading third-party administrator specializing in Unemployment Cost Control, Employee Benefits, Financial Services, Contingency Refund Services, and HR Seminars. Operating in all 50 states, we provide superior customer service and innovative technology to help employers reduce costs and streamline HR processes.

What is the Taxable Wage Base?

What is the taxable wage base?

The taxable wage base is one of the key components in determining how much an employer will have to pay in unemployment taxes over the course of a year. Taxable wages vary from state to state, but generally there is a “cap” known as the taxable wage base, where an employer does not have to pay taxes on the money paid to an employee over a certain point. States determine the taxable wage base in different ways. Some use a formula or follow a certain percentage of each state’s average wages, while many follow the FUTA taxable wage base of $7,000 in 2017.

Below is a list of the taxable wage base in each state. You may notice that some states have much higher taxable wage bases than other states. These higher taxable wages are not always offset by a lower unemployment tax rate. Keep an eye out for states that adjust the taxable wage base each year. Those states are as follows: Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey (lower for 2017), New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota (lower for 2017), Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Washington, and Wyoming.

State	Taxable wage base
Alabama	8,000.00
Alaska	39,800.00
Arizona	7,000.00
Arkansas	12,000.00
California	7,000.00
Colorado	12,500.00
Connecticut	15,000.00
Delaware	18,500.00
Florida	7,000.00
Georgia	9,500.00
Hawaii	44,000.00
Idaho	37,800.00
Illinois	12,960.00
Indiana	9,500.00
Iowa	29,300.00
Kansas	14,000.00
Kentucky	10,200.00
Louisiana	7,700.00
Maine	12,000.00
Maryland	8,500.00
Massachusetts	15,000.00
Michigan	9,000.00
Minnesota	32,000.00
Mississippi	14,000.00
Missouri	13,000.00
Montana	31,400.00
Nebraska	9,000.00
Nevada	29,500.00
New Hampshire	14,000.00
New Jersey	33,500.00
New Mexico	24,300.00
New York	10,900.00
North Carolina	23,100.00
North Dakota	35,100.00
Ohio	9,000.00
Oklahoma	17,700.00
Oregon	38,400.00
Pennsylvania	9,750.00
Rhode Island	23,900.00
South Carolina	14,000.00
South Dakota	15,000.00
Tennessee	8,000.00
Texas	9,000.00
Utah	33,100.00
Vermont	17,300.00
Virginia	8,000.00
Washington	45,000.00
West Virginia	12,000.00
Wisconsin	14,000.00
Wyoming	25,400.00
District of Columbia	9,000.00
Puerto Rico	7,000.00
Virgin Islands	23,500.00

For more information about how taxable wages impact your unemployment expenses contact us today! One of our experts will be happy to help.

How do Benefit Charges Work for Employers?

What is a Benefit Charge?

To fully understand the full impact of benefit charges, we must first understand exactly what a benefit charge is. When someone applies for unemployment and then gets deemed eligible to collect unemployment benefits, they are then paid out money. In some cases, the State will even pay out unemployment benefits before a determination is made. The State will make a monetary determination (often times this is stated on a claim form) to determine the maximum dollar value that a claimant can collect. Usually this is based on the amount of money that the claimant has earned within a certain period of time. Each state has different minimums and maximums for the total amount of benefits that can be paid out to a claimant.

Benefit charges against a company?

So where does all of that money being paid out come from? Well, it depends on what kind of employer you are. Certain companies such as non-profits qualify to be reimbursable employers, which means that you pay dollar for dollar when someone collects unemployment against your organization. This will also depend on the state that you operate in.

Generally speaking, most employers are tax rated, meaning that they have an unemployment tax account with the state. Just like every other tax, each employer is assigned a specific tax rate. So the more you pay out in benefits, the higher your tax rate is going to be. Conversely, the less you pay out in benefits, the lower your tax rate will be.

How can I decrease the amount of Benefit Charges to my account?

There are a few ways to do this. The first is to make sure that you are contesting all unemployment claims in an accurate and timely manner. When claims are sent back to the state late, usually the employer will be penalized and will lose the opportunity to protest charges to their account. In order to win an unemployment claim, you must submit accurate information that is both informative and concrete, documentation is a must. By winning a claim, you will effectively block your account from being charged with unemployment benefits. This does not necessarily mean that a claimant will not get paid, it just means that the payment will not be charged to your business.

The next and most effective way to reduce the charges is to audit the charges on the benefit charge statement! This sounds like a no-brainer, however almost no-one does it! There are a few things that need to be audited on these forms – the people that are collecting, and the actual dollar amount that is being collected. The government isn’t anywhere near perfect, and they make mistakes all the time. Check out the overpayment rate in your state. Some states are over 40% in overpayments! This means that if someone is supposed to collect $10,000 from you account, they are actually getting paid $14,000. Your tax rate will skyrocket if these benefit charges are not controlled!

In conclusion, benefit charges are the most important piece of the unemployment puzzle. The amount of money being paid out of your reserve account directly affects the tax rate that you will be issued. Auditing these charges is critical and can be very cumbersome without the right tools to do it.

At Dunn Corporate Resources, our cutting edge computer system, utilizing the federal SIDES System, tracks the exact amount of benefit charges on each claim to ensure that there are no errors. And if someone is being overpaid, we automatically protest those charges and ensure that the money is credited back to the employer’s account. Contact us today if you’d like your UI account reviewed, or would like a demo of our software!