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Social Security Explained, 2013 Edition

Provides a succinct, comprehensive, and detailed explanation of the federal old-age, survivor's and disability insurance programs under the Social Security Act.The book explains who is covered by the Social Security system, liability for the tax, how a worker acquires "insured status" required for benefit eligibility and the conditions of entitlement to the various kinds of Social Security benefits.

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CCH® UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE — 06/13/12

Rhode Island amends its rules regarding severance or dismissal pay and wages paid after the last day of employment

The rules under the Rhode Island Employment Security Act have been amended as follows:

Severance or dismissal pay. Effective July 1, 2012, severance or dismissal pay will be considered wages and will be used in the base period, attributable to the last day of employment for services performed prior to that date, when computing a claim for benefits. Note, however, that the amount of any payments, whether or not under a plan or system, made to or on behalf of an employee by his or her employer after the expiration of six calendar months following the last calendar month in which the employee performed actual bona fide personal services for his or her employer, will not be considered wages either for the purpose of reporting wages received or for the purpose of wages considered in computing benefits.

Severance or dismissal pay will be deducted from an individual’s weekly benefit amount for each week it is received. Moreover, the weekly benefit rate will be reduced by the full amount of that severance or dismissal pay for a period not to exceed 26 weeks. Within the period, an individual will be disqualified from receiving benefits in any week with respect to which the individual is receiving severance or dismissal pay greater than or equal to his or her weekly benefit rate. The total amount of severance pay paid in the form of a lump sum to an employee will be attributed to each week it represents. If the employer does not specify a set number of weeks, the severance or dismissal pay will be allocated using the individual’s weekly benefit rate.

For unemployment purposes, suspension pay is considered dismissal pay.

Wages paid after last day of employment. For benefit years beginning on or after July 1, 2012, wages paid to an individual after the last day of employment by an employer for services performed prior to that date will be considered wages and will be used in the base period when computing a claim for benefits. Note that the amount of any payments, whether or not under a plan or system, made to or on behalf of an employee by his or her employer after the expiration of six calendar months following the last calendar month in which the employee performed actual bona fide personal services for his or her employer, will not be considered wages either for the purpose of reporting wages or for the purpose of wages considered in computing benefits.