(a) If, not later than four years after the date on which any contributions, penalties, or interest became due, an employer who has paid such contributions, penalties, or interest thereon shall make application for an adjustment thereof in connection with subsequent contribution payments, or for a refund thereof because such adjustment cannot be made, and the secretary shall determine that such contributions, penalties, or interest, or any portion thereof, was erroneously collected, the secretary shall allow such employer to make an adjustment thereof in connection with subsequent contribution liability, or, if such adjustment cannot be made, the secretary may refund such contributions, interest, and penalties from the clearing account. Any refund of interest and/or penalties which have been transferred to the Special Employment Security Administration Fund shall be made from the Special Employment Security Administration Fund, provided for in Section 25-4-142. If the secretary shall deny, in whole or in part, any such application, the applicant may within 60 days after notice of such action, to be given by the secretary by mail, appeal to the circuit court of the county wherein is the principal place of business of the applicant, and the trial in that court shall be without a jury, and the court shall render such judgment as the facts and circumstances warrant. For like cause and within four years, adjustment or refund may be made on the secretary’s own initiative.

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Terms Used In Alabama Code 25-4-137

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Benefits: as used in this chapter , means the money payable to an individual with respect to his unemployment as provided in this chapter. See Alabama Code 25-4-2
  • circuit: means judicial circuit. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Contributions: as used in this chapter , means the money payments to the State Unemployment Compensation Fund, required by this chapter, on the basis of a percentage of wages. See Alabama Code 25-4-5
  • employee: as used in this chapter , means any individual employed by an employer subject to this chapter, in which employment the relationship of master and servant exists between the employee and the person employing him. See Alabama Code 25-4-7
  • employment: shall include service constituting employment under any unemployment compensation law of another state or of this state. See Alabama Code 25-4-16
  • Fund: as used in this chapter , means the Unemployment Compensation Fund established by this chapter, to which all contributions and payments in lieu of contributions and from which all benefits required under this chapter shall be paid. See Alabama Code 25-4-12
  • Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
  • Secretary: as used in this chapter , means the Secretary of Labor or his authorized representatives; except, that during any interim in which there is no duly appointed and qualified Secretary of Labor, the same shall mean the Director of Unemployment Compensation, provided for in Section 25-2-3. See Alabama Code 25-4-6
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • wages: as used in this chapter , shall mean such remuneration as was defined in this section prior to such date. See Alabama Code 25-4-16
(b) The amount of any adjustments or refunds made under this section shall be reduced by the sum of any benefits that shall have been paid based on the wages on which contributions are to be refunded. Such reduction shall be made first from the employee contributions withheld from wages of those employees to whom such benefits were paid and the remainder from the employer contributions; provided, however, that no such reduction in the amount of any adjustment or refund under this section shall be made if such contributions were paid under protest and such benefits were paid prior to final adjudication of such protest.
(c) Before any adjustment or refund may be made under the provisions of this section, the employer must conform to applicable rules and regulations of the secretary with respect to the refund to the employees entitled thereto of any moneys deducted by the employer in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.