July 11, 2023
First Nonprofit is delighted to announce that our esteemed President and CEO, Mario Poretto, has been recognized with the prestigious J. Eldred Hill, Jr. Award. This accolade was presented to him at the 2023 Unemployment Insurance Issues Conference held in Memphis, TN, on June 28, 2023. Click here for a video of the awards ceremony.
The award, named after the renowned J. Eldred Hill, Jr., former president of UWC – Strategic Services on Unemployment & Workers’ Compensation (formerly UBA), acknowledges individuals who have exhibited exceptional expertise in public policy, particularly in their service to the employer community. Mario’s outstanding contributions were acknowledged by UWC, as outlined below:
“Unemployment caused by the pandemic of 2020 and 2021 resulted in charges to reimbursing employer accounts that could not have been anticipated and in many cases would have exhausted reimbursing trust fund reserves. In the face of this historic challenge for non-profit and reimbursing employers, Mr. Poretto led the formation of the Nonprofit UI Relief Coalition to educate congress, governors, and state legislatures about the impact of the pandemic on non-profit employers and the need for relief from charges to employer accounts.
The coalition developed and implemented a plan that was successful in securing a 50% federal credit for reimbursing employer accounts in the CARES Act, a subsequent 75% credit pursuant to the Protecting Nonprofits from Catastrophic Cash Flow Strain Act, executive orders issued by governors, and state legislation to provide relief. Without Mario’s leadership in this critical period, a majority of the nation’s reimbursing entities would have incurred crippling charges to their accounts. Mr. Poretto continues his dedication to ensuring that the Nation’s Ul system protects employers, particularly those in the often overlooked non-profit sector. We are honored to recognize Mario Poretto for his leadership in Unemployment Insurance.”
UWC – Strategic Services on Unemployment & Workers’ Compensation (formerly UBA)
Mario Poretto’s exceptional achievements in navigating these unprecedented challenges and advocating for the welfare of employers within the nonprofit sector exemplify his commitment to excellence and his profound impact on the field of Unemployment Insurance. First Nonprofit is privileged to have Mario at the helm, guiding our organization toward continued success and service to our valued clients. Congratulations once again to Mario Poretto on this well-deserved recognition. His outstanding leadership and dedication are truly an inspiration to us all.
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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.