OREANDA-NEWS. March 18, 2016. UI Integrity enforcement is ramping up as one state after another is starting to send pattern of failure notices. As time goes on, this could get very expensive for non-compliant employers. Once you exceed the state-defined pattern of failure, employers lose the ability to apply for charge relief which can negatively affect the UI Tax rating in that state. Inefficiencies and non-compliance often result in a significant total tax burden. In addition, some states are levying additional monetary fines for each instance of non-compliance, which can add up quickly.

Because of this, the Unemployment Case Management strategy for 2016 should be: Respond. Be Timely. Be Complete.

Processing claims for more than 6,000 companies nationwide gives Equifax Workforce Solutions the ability to analyze and identify best practices as well as common process errors that can lead to those patterns of failure. Following are some best practices we follow and employers should consider integrating into a successful UCM program to help comply with UI Integrity laws, protect – and sometimes improve – state tax positions, and implement a more efficient and effective unemployment case management process.

Best Practices

Respond

  • Identify a single point of contact at the company who is accountable for the unemployment response process
  • Create separate workflows for voluntary quits and discharges
  • Adjust your procedures and deploy training to reinforce that response to every claim is mandatory
  • Establish job performance metrics based on response requirements for every team member working with unemployment claims

Be Timely

  • Start with the State Information Data Exchange System (SIDES) in relevant states to submit responses more efficiently
  • Encourage standards that facilitate completion of claims/RFIs prior to the deadlines
  • Set the response team up for success by creating and maintaining a set of resources accountable for helping provide the payroll information, employee schedule records, employee files, and current policies and procedures (for at least 12 and ideally 18 months post-separation)
  • Establish job performance metrics based on state-defined response times for each employee submitting claim responses

Be Complete

  • Establish onboarding and separation workflows that ensure the correct documentation is consistently collected
  • Include both Separation Date and Last Day Worked
  • Anticipate response request needs by separation type and state-defined information requirements to create checklist-style response guidelines for more common separations in your organization
  • Work with your training team to provide proactive and regular training for all employees working on separation and unemployment cases