20 CFR 606.3 – Definitions
For the purposes of the Acts cited and this part—
Terms Used In 20 CFR 606.3
- Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
Act means as appropriate the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (26 U.S.C. §§ 3301–3311), or title XII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 1321–1324).
Advance means a transfer of funds to a State unemployment fund, for the purpose of paying unemployment compensation, from the Federal unemployment account in the Unemployment Trust Fund, pursuant to section 1202 of the Social Security Act.
Average High Cost Multiple (AHCM) for a State as of December 31 of a calendar year is calculated by dividing the State’s reserve ratio, as defined in § 606.3, by the State’s average high cost rate (AHCR), as defined in § 606.3, for the same year. Final calculations are rounded to the nearest multiple of 0.01.
Average High Cost Rate (AHCR) for a State is calculated as follows:
(1) Determine the time period over which calculations are to be made by selecting the longer of:
(i) The 20-calendar year period that ends with the year for which the AHCR calculation is made; or
(ii) The number of years beginning with the calendar year in which the first of the last three completed national recessions began, as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research, and ending with the calendar year for which the AHCR is being calculated.
(2) For each calendar year during the selected time period, calculate the benefit-cost ratio, as defined in § 606.3; and
(3) Average the three highest calendar year benefit cost ratios for the selected time period from paragraph (2) of this definition. Final calculations are rounded to the nearest multiple of 0.01 percent.
Benefit-cost ratio for a calendar year is the percentage obtained by dividing—
(1) The total dollar sum of—
(i) All compensation actually paid under the State law during such calendar year, including in such total sum all regular, additional, and extended compensation, as defined in section 205 of the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970, and excluding from such total sum—
(A) Any such compensation paid for which the State is entitled to reimbursement or was reimbursed under the provisions of any Federal Law, and
(B) Any such compensation paid which is attributable to services performed for a reimbursing employer, and which is not included in the total dollar amount reported under paragraph (c)(1)(i)(A) of this section, and
(ii) Any interest paid during such calendar year on any advance, by
(2) The total wages (as defined in § 606.3) with respect to such calendar year.
(3) For cap purposes, if any percentage determined by this computation for a calendar year is not a multiple of 0.1 percent, such percentage shall be reduced to the nearest multiple of 0.1 percent. For funding goal purposes, if any percentage determined by this computation for a calendar year is not a multiple of 0.01 percent, such percentage is rounded to the nearest multiple of 0.01 percent.
Contributions means payments required by a State law to be made into an unemployment fund by any person on account of having individuals in his employ, to the extent that such payments are made by him without being deducted or deductible from the remuneration of individuals in his employ.
Federal unemployment tax means the excise tax imposed under section 3301 of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act on employers with respect to having individuals in their employ.
Fiscal year means the Federal fiscal year which begins on October 1 of a year and ends on September 30, of the next succeeding year.
FUTA refers to the Federal Unemployment Tax Act.
Reserve ratio is calculated by dividing the balance in the State’s account in the unemployment trust fund (UTF) as of December 31 of such year by the total wages paid workers covered by the unemployment compensation (UC) program during the 12 months ending on December 31 of such year. Final calculations are rounded to the nearest multiple of 0.01 percent.
State unemployment fund or unemployment fund means a special fund established under a State law for the payment of unemployment compensation to unemployed individuals, and which is an “unemployment fund” as defined in section 3306(f) of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act.
Taxable year means the calendar year.
Unemployment tax rate means, for any taxable year and with respect to any State, the percentage obtained by dividing the total amount of contributions paid into the State unemployment fund with respect to such taxable year by total wages as defined in § 606.3.
Wages, taxable means the total sum of remuneration which is subject to contributions under a State law.
Wages, total means the total sum of all remuneration covered by a State law, disregarding any dollar limitation on the amount of remuneration which is subject to contributions under the State law.