BILL REQ. #:  H-3550.2 

Read first time 01/16/12.   Referred to Committee on Labor & Workforce Development.

     AN ACT Relating to specifying when predecessor-successor relationships do not exist for purposes of unemployment experience rating; amending RCW 50.29.062; creating new sections; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 50.29.062 and 2010 c 25 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     Except as provided in RCW 50.29.063, predecessor and successor employer contribution rates shall be computed in the following manner:
     (1)(a) If the successor is an employer, as defined in RCW 50.04.080, at the time of the transfer of a business, the following applies:
     (((a))) (i) The successor's contribution rate shall remain unchanged for the remainder of the rate year in which the transfer occurs((; and)).
     (((b))) (ii) Beginning January 1st following the transfer, the successor's contribution rate for each rate year shall be based on a combination of the following:
     (((i))) (A) The successor's experience with payrolls and benefits; and
     (((ii))) (B) Any experience assigned to the predecessor involved in the transfer. If only a portion of the business was transferred, then the experience attributable to the acquired portion is assigned to the successor.
     (b) A predecessor-successor relationship does not exist for purposes of this chapter when a significant purpose of the transfer of a business or its operating assets is for the employer to move or expand an existing business or for an employer with common ownership to establish a substantially similar business.
     (2) If the successor is not an employer at the time of the transfer, the following applies:
     (a) For transfers before January 1, 2005:
     (i) Except as provided in (a)(ii) of this subsection (2)(((a))), the successor shall pay contributions at the lowest rate determined under either of the following:
     (A) The contribution rate of the rate class assigned to the predecessor employer at the time of the transfer for the remainder of that rate year. Any experience relating to the assignment of that rate class attributable to the predecessor is transferred to the successor. Beginning with the January 1st following the transfer, the successor's contribution rate shall be based on a combination of the transferred experience of the acquired business and the successor's experience after the transfer; or
     (B) The contribution rate equal to the average industry rate as determined by the commissioner, but not less than one percent, and continuing until the successor qualifies for a different rate in its own right. Assignment of employers by the commissioner to industrial classification, for purposes of this subsection, must be in accordance with established classification practices found in the North American industry classification system issued by the federal office of management and budget to the fourth digit provided in the North American industry classification system.
     (ii) If the successor simultaneously acquires the business or a portion of the business of two or more employers in different rate classes, its rate, from the date the transfer occurred until the end of that rate year and until it qualifies in its own right for a new rate, shall be the rate of the highest rate class applicable at the time of the acquisition to any predecessor employer who is a party to the acquisition, but not less than one percent.
     (b) For transfers on or after January 1, 2005:
     (i) Except as provided in (b)(ii) and (iii) of this subsection (2)(((b))), the successor shall pay contributions:
     (A) At the contribution rate assigned to the predecessor employer at the time of the transfer for the remainder of that rate year. Any experience attributable to the predecessor relating to the assignment of the predecessor's rate class is transferred to the successor.
     (B) Beginning January 1st following the transfer, the successor's contribution rate for each rate year shall be based on an array calculation factor rate that is a combination of the following: The successor's experience with payrolls and benefits; and any experience assigned to the predecessor involved in the transfer. If only a portion of the business was transferred, then the experience attributable to the acquired portion is assigned to the successor if qualified under RCW 50.29.010 by including the transferred experience. If not qualified under RCW 50.29.010, the contribution rate shall equal the sum of the rates determined by the commissioner under RCW 50.29.025 (1)(d)(ii) or (2)(d) and 50.29.041, if applicable, and continuing until the successor qualifies for a different rate, including the transferred experience.
     (ii) If there is a substantial continuity of ownership, control, or management by the successor of the business of the predecessor, the successor shall pay contributions at the contribution rate determined for the predecessor employer at the time of the transfer for the remainder of that rate year. Any experience attributable to the predecessor relating to the assignment of the predecessor's rate class is transferred to the successor. Beginning January 1st following the transfer, the successor's array calculation factor rate shall be based on a combination of the transferred experience of the acquired business and the successor's experience after the transfer.
     (iii) If the successor simultaneously acquires the business or a portion of the business of two or more employers with different contribution rates, the successor's rate, from the date the transfer occurred until the end of that rate year and until it qualifies in its own right for a new rate, shall be the sum of the rates determined by the commissioner under RCW 50.29.025 (1) (a) and (b) or (2) (a) and (b), and 50.29.041, applicable at the time of the acquisition, to the predecessor employer who, among the parties to the acquisition, had the largest total payroll in the completed calendar quarter immediately preceding the date of transfer, but not less than the sum of the rates determined by the commissioner under RCW 50.29.025 (1)(d)(ii) or (2)(d) and 50.29.041, if applicable.
     (3) With respect to predecessor employers:
     (a) The contribution rate on any payroll retained by a predecessor employer shall remain unchanged for the remainder of the rate year in which the transfer occurs.
     (b) In all cases, beginning January 1st following the transfer, the predecessor's contribution rate or the predecessor's array calculation factor for each rate year shall be based on its experience with payrolls and benefits as of the regular computation date for that rate year excluding the experience of the transferred business or transferred portion of business as that experience has transferred to the successor: PROVIDED, That if all of the predecessor's business is transferred to a successor or successors, the predecessor shall not be a qualified employer until it satisfies the requirements of a "qualified employer" as set forth in RCW 50.29.010.
     (4) For purposes of this section, "transfer of a business" means the same as RCW 50.29.063(4)(c).

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   If any part of this act is found to be in conflict with federal requirements that are a prescribed condition to the allocation of federal funds to the state or the eligibility of employers in this state for federal unemployment tax credits, the conflicting part of this act is inoperative solely to the extent of the conflict, and the finding or determination does not affect the operation of the remainder of this act. Rules adopted under this act must meet federal requirements that are a necessary condition to the receipt of federal funds by the state or the granting of federal unemployment tax credits to employers in this state.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   This act is remedial in nature and shall be applied retroactively to January 1, 2009.