Utah Admin. Code R994-401-201 - Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA), Maximum Benefit Amount (MBA), and Monetary Determination

(1) The formulas for determining the WBA and the MBA are found in Section 35A-4-401.

(2) The wages used to determine the WBA and the MBA are limited to wages reported to the Department by base period employers and verifiable wages paid by additional base period employers reported by the claimant in the initial claim. If an employer does not report wages and the claimant can verify wages from that employer, those wages may be included.

(3) The Department will send the claimant a "Notice of Monetary Determination." The notice will inform the claimant of the WBA, MBA, and the wages used to determine the claimant's monetary eligibility. The notice will also inform the claimant of his or her right to appeal the monetary determination. The claimant must notify the Department of any errors in the monetary determination. The time limit for notifying the Department of any errors or for appealing a monetary determination is the same as filing an appeal from an initial Department determination and is governed by rules R994-508-102 through R994-508-104.

(4) The monetary determination is based on the wages actually paid during the base period regardless of when the work was performed.

(5) To be monetarily eligible, a claimant must have earned base period wages of 1 and 1/2 times the high quarter wages and also meet a minimum dollar amount as established by the monetary base period wage requirement as defined in Section 35A-4-201.

(6) For any claimant whose benefit year is effective on or before January 1, 2011, if the claimant is not monetarily eligible under the 1 and 1/2 times requirement in paragraph (5) of this section, but meets the monetary base period wage requirement, the claimant can still be eligible under this section if the claimant had earnings of at least five percent of the "monetary base period requirement for insured work," as defined in Subsection 35A-4-201(17), in each of at least 20 weeks during the base period. The earnings must be for work performed during each of the 20 weeks, all of which must fall within the base period, regardless of when the claimant received payment for the work. The requirement that the claimant show work and earnings in 20 weeks is only met if the claimant was paid wages as defined by the definition of "wages paid" in R994-401-202.

(7) The dollar amount for each of the 20 weeks required to establish eligibility under subsection (6) of this section will be determined by the monetary base period requirement for insured work in effect for the calendar year in which the initial claim is filed even if some or all of the 20 weeks are in a different calendar year.

(8) If the claimant is determined monetarily ineligible under the 1 and 1/2 times standard, and the claimant's benefit year is effective on or before January 1, 2011, it is the claimant's responsibility to show 20 weeks of covered employment which meet the minimum dollar amount. Acceptable proof of covered employment includes:

(a) appropriately dated check stubs issued by the employer;

(b) a written statement from the employer showing dates of employment and the amount of earnings for each week;

(c) time cards;

(d) canceled payroll checks; or

(e) personal or business records kept in the normal course of employment that would substantiate work and earnings.

(9) An employer's potential liability is based on its proportion of the claimant's base period wages. Employers will be informed of the wages used in determining a claimant's monetary entitlement, the employer's potential liability for benefits costs, and the right to and time limitation for requesting relief of charges or a correction to wages. A contributory employer is given a notice of all benefit costs each quarter and has the opportunity to report any errors or omissions to the Department at that time as well. The quarterly notices give the employer 30 days to advise the Department of any corrections, as provided in Subsection 35A-4-306(3).

(10) A party failing to file a timely appeal or protest may lose its right to have the monetary determination corrected. An untimely appeal or protest may be considered if the party had good cause, as defined in R994-508-104.

(11) The Department may revise the monetary determination after the expiration of the appeal time if there has been a mistake as to the facts or the revision would be substantial and required by fairness for a party who did not have access to the information and therefore could not have reasonably filed a timely appeal. The decision to revise a monetary determination after the appeal time has expired is discretionary with the Department.

Notes

Utah Admin. Code R994-401-201

Adopted by Utah State Bulletin Number 2017-14, effective 6/21/2017