12/26/05 FB unemployment insurance program

Washington Ag December 26, 2005 The Washington Farm Bureau recently introduced a new program to manage unemployment insurance claims for agricultural employers and other small business, similar to the way the Retro/Safety program helps manage workers' compensation claims. A recent Department of Labor report showed that Washington overpaid unemployment benefits by 11 percent or 118-million dollars last year. Farm Bureau spokesman Dean Boyer says part of the problem is that small business owners just don't have the time or expertise to review all the unemployment claims that are filed against their businesses, so they just pay them. Boyer says for a small fee the Farm Bureau's new service handles all the paperwork. Boyer: "Do all the communications with the state and then notify the employer if any follow up action is necessary. And this includes recommending when to challenge a particular unemployment claim." Boyer notes that an unemployment claim can affect an employer's unemployment insurance rates for many years into the future, even long after the person is no longer collecting unemployment. You can get more information about the Farm Bureau's unemployment claims management program by calling 509-697-6165. I'm Bob Hoff.