August 19, 2014
Nonprofit organizations in Arizona have an exciting opportunity to learn about alternatives to paying state unemployment tax (SUTA) that provide more insight and control over the money used to compensate jobless claims. The free online seminar will help 501(c)(3) charitable groups, tribal enterprises and government agencies understand how they can reduce the costs of handling unemployment claims without compromising their ability to fully fund this legally mandated requirement. Educational information about the development of the current unemployment climate in the state, changes to rates and calculations and more will be available. The free webinar, hosted by First Nonprofit Group and the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits, will take place from 10 to 11 a.m. on August 27.
Arizona has dealt with especially high increases to such taxes since the Great Recession. Although the economy has certainly recovered in recent years, the Arizona Department of Economic Security had to cover the rise in unemployment claims during the Recession by borrowing from the federal government. In order to pay back the state debt and replenish the unemployment fund, the metrics used to calculate employer unemployment rates were raised significantly. Because of this change, the average unemployment tax cost per employee rose an incredible 77 percent in Arizona from 2009 through 2014. Additionally, a change to the unemployment wage base could lead to the average unemployment tax cost per employee to reach $354 – up from just $165 in 2013.
The benefits of attending
Beyond an in-depth informational session on SUTA and associated cost increases targeted specifically toward the unique needs of nonprofits, alternatives to these increasingly expensive contributions will also be discussed. First Nonprofit Group offers a variety of solutions that help such organizations manage their unemployment obligations in a much more cost effective manner. Attendees will also receive a copy of a "Ten Things" series for nonprofit boards booklet, from First Nonprofit Foundation.
There are plenty of advantages to be had by nonprofits of all sizes and shapes from learning about changes to Arizona's SUTA fund and how they can keep their unemployment costs low. To learn more, and to sign up for this free webinar, interested nonprofits can follow this link to the registration page.
For information on how your organization can cost-effectively meet its unemployment insurance needs, contact First Nonprofit Group at FNCUI@firstnonprofit.com or visit www.firstnonprofitgroup.com.
Ready to chat? Get in touch today to request a no-obligation savings evaluation.
We’ve been a member of First Nonprofit’s Unemployment Savings Program since 2011 and highly recommend joining. The program is terrific and allows us to earn interest on our own funds while still meeting the state’s requirements on unemployment payments. In addition, the staff are great and always helpful sorting out any questions we may have. Thank you all!
CCSCT was approached by First NonProfit to discuss its Unemployment Savings Program and ways the program could significantly reduce the amount of unemployment taxes we were paying. At the time, our agency was paying approximately $80,000 per year. First NonProfit conducted an analysis to determine if making the switch would be in our best interest, and it clearly was based on our circumstances. The first year on the program, CCSCT saw a 70% reduction in its unemployment costs and each year, continues to experience further reductions as a result of having minimal claims. Some additional benefits of the program including having a fixed annual cost, an interest-baring reserve account, professional unemployment claims management and representation at all unemployment hearings. This has been one of the best decisions we have made.
We first started using First Nonprofit’s Unemployment Savings Program when we were a small startup nonprofit. We didn’t have an HR department and needed expertise in the event that an unemployment claim was made. We knew we were eligible to be a reimbursing employer, but weren’t sure how to navigate that process. They made it easy to set things up, plan for, and then manage claims when they came at a very reasonable cost. The amount of time and stress they’ve saved us dealing with all this has been worth way more than the cost. We’ve now grown to a large nonprofit and do have an HR department but have no plans to stop using their services. I highly recommend them to every nonprofit I come into contact with!
Throughout our membership in the Unemployment Savings Program, First Nonprofit understood our demands, community dynamics, and the importance of seamless services; that allowed us to serve our constituents better.
Because INCS advocates for the operating conditions that allow charter public schools to provide high quality public education, partnering with First Nonprofit was an easy decision. First Nonprofit’s unemployment programs provide our member schools two operating elements crucial to their ability to provide high quality public education: savings and budget certainty. Capable, committed teachers are the key to student success. By participating in the unemployment insurance savings plan, charter public schools gain peace of mind and are able to invest more money in their teachers.
It has been our sincere pleasure to maintain a strong, vibrant business partnership with First Nonprofit. We greatly admire their strong industry knowledge, technical expertise, constant professionalism, knowledgeable and dedicated staff. They are always extremely responsive, personable and provide us with the necessary guidance and recommendations on a numerous variety of employment scenarios.
NYCON members who use First Nonprofit’s programs enjoy enduring savings and improved efficiency. Our association knows that success, because from the beginning, we achieved the same great benefits. Great savings, seamless technology, and responsive service. NYCON highly recommends First Nonprofit’s remarkable unemployment solutions.
Visually Impaired Preschool Services has been a client of First Non-Profit since it was first offered as a benefit of VisionServe Alliance. We completed a thorough evaluation of cash savings to our agency before taking advantage of this wonderful benefit and it has been a very wise decision. Our experience with the processes from accounting to claims have been professional, expeditious and easy.