Bill Text: PA HR223 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: A Concurrent Resolution urging the Congress of the United States to reexamine the Federal Unemployment Tax Act as it relates to corporate officers.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 8-0)

Status: (Passed) 2012-04-10 - Referred to FINANCE [HR223 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HR223-Introduced.html

  

 

    

PRINTER'S NO.  1564

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

No.

223

Session of

2011

  

  

INTRODUCED BY TRUITT, BOYD, CLYMER, CUTLER, MILLER, SCHRODER AND VULAKOVICH, APRIL 20, 2011

  

  

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON FINANCE, APRIL 20, 2011  

  

  

  

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

  

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Urging the Congress of the United States to reexamine the

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Federal Unemployment Tax Act as it relates to corporate

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officers.

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WHEREAS, The Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) (Public Law

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99-514, 26 U.S.C. Ch. 23) requires that every employer pay an

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excise tax of 6.2% on the first $7,000 of total wages paid to

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each employee; and

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WHEREAS, FUTA includes corporate officers within the scope of

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covered employment by defining these persons as an "employee" of

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a corporation in section 3121(d)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code

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of 1986 (Public Law 99-514, 26 U.S.C. § 3121(d)(1)); and

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WHEREAS, Pennsylvania employers, including corporate

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officers, can, to the extent provided by law, take a tax credit

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against the FUTA tax of the unemployment contributions which

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were paid into the Unemployment Compensation Fund; and

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WHEREAS, FUTA establishes that employers may take a maximum

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credit of 5.4% against the FUTA tax; and

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WHEREAS, After the offset credit is applied, Pennsylvania

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employers that pay into the Unemployment Compensation Fund are

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left to pay 0.8% FUTA tax on the first $7,000 in wages paid to

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each employee; and

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WHEREAS, The act of December 5, 1936 (2nd Sp.Sess., 1937

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P.L.2897, No.1), known as the Unemployment Compensation Law,

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requires that corporate officers pay unemployment compensation

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taxes, although they generally are not eligible to collect

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unemployment compensation benefits should they become

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unemployed; and

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WHEREAS, Pennsylvania corporate officers have expressed

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frustration because they are required to pay into the

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Unemployment Compensation Fund but are subsequently denied

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unemployment benefits when they become unemployed; and

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WHEREAS, The payment of unemployment compensation taxes is

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especially burdensome for small, incorporated businesses; and

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WHEREAS, Exempting Pennsylvania corporate officers from State

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unemployment contribution liability would be futile because such

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officers would then be required to pay the full 6.2% FUTA tax on

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their wages instead of the net 0.8% rate normally paid with the

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5.4% offset credit permitted for State unemployment taxes paid;

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and

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WHEREAS, Such an exemption would not provide any real tax

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relief to corporate officers, but would merely result in the

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Federal Government benefiting from additional tax revenue at the

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expense of the Unemployment Compensation Fund; therefore be it

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RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly

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of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the

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United States to reexamine the Federal Unemployment Tax Act

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(Public Law 99-514, 26 U.S.C. Ch. 23) as it relates to corporate

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officers and reevaluate the need for such a tax; and be it

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further

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RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to

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the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each

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member of Congress from Pennsylvania.

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