Unemployment tax in Florida may rise sharply in 2012

If the Florida Legislature makes no changes, employers throughout the state will see significantly higher unemployment tax bills.

BY MICHAEL PELTIER

THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

TALLAHASSEE -- Business owners who two years ago paid $8.40 per employee in unemployment taxes will see their bill go up to $172 starting Jan. 1 as the state continues to reel from a lingering recession, sluggish payroll growth and double digit unemployment.

Meeting Thursday to tweak estimates for the coming year and beyond, members of the revenue estimating conference were updated on a matrix of collections and payout data that call for rates to go up nearly $100 per employee from 2011 figures to a group of employers that pay the minimum fee.

If no changes are made, employers will see their bills go up based on two major factors. The figure used to calculate payments will increase from $7,000 to $8,500, an increase that will boost the maximum rate per employee from $378 to $459. For the approximately 220,000 employers who now pay at the minimum tax rate, the $1,500 threshold increase, coupled with a higher effective tax rate, will boost their 2012 tax bill from $72.10 per employees to $171.70.

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