STPS

Why Are my Employer Payroll Taxes Going Up?

Why Are My Employer Payroll Taxes Going Up?

Your 2022 payroll taxes are probably going to increase in 2022 because of rising SUI tax rates.

State unemployment insurance (SUI) can sometimes be referred to as SUTA – State Unemployment Tax Act, reemployment tax, and unemployment benefits tax, but they all mean the same thing.

An SUI is a fund that pays out unemployment benefits, or wage replacements, to an employee who has lost their job, through no fault of their own that meet all of the eligibility requirements. These benefits are intended to provide temporary income as unemployed workers seek new employment.

SUI Tax Rates Rising

Why is State Unemployment  Insurance tax rising? Because the COVID-19 pandemic is causing higher unemployment rates, state funds have been used up. And replenishing these funds will come from your higher employer payroll taxes. 

SUI is a part of employer payroll taxes, which are made up of five different taxes:

① State Unemployment Insurance Taxes (SUI, aka: SUTA)

② Federal Unemployment Insurance Taxes (FUTA)

③ Medicare Taxes

④ Social Security

⑤ Local Taxes

COVID-19 has depleted many state unemployment insurance funds, so a number of states are increasing these taxes to replenish the funds. These increases can come in the form of:

Ⓐ Higher wage base limits

Ⓑ Higher percentages (tax rates) that are paid on the wage base limits, and/or

Ⓒ A combination of both

sui taxes increasing
taxes

So, What Should You Do to Prepare for Higher Taxes?

The first step is figuring out what your SUI rate is, it is critical that you start paying the correct amount as soon as possible

How Do I Calculate My SUI?

To calculate your SUI tax, you multiply your SUI tax by the “wage base.” A wage base means you only pay tax on a set amount of each employee’s wages

sui tax

How Do I Find Out the Wage Base Limit in my State and the Tax Rate for my Business?

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If you haven’t received your letter, contact your state agency (website and phone numbers are listed in the table below).

Once you have your SUI rate calculated, you will want to work with your accountant to budget and forecast appropriately for 2022. If you still have questions about State Unemployment Insurance or how to prepare for an SUI increase, feel free to email us at: [email protected] or fill out the contact form at the bottom of the page. 

 

State

2022 Wage Base Limit

2021 Wage Base Limit

2020 Wage Base Limit

State Agency Website and Phone Number

Alabama

$8,000

$8,000

$8,000

Alabama DOL

(334)242-8025

Alaska

$45,200

$43,600

$41,500

Alaska DOL

(907)269-4700

Arizona

$7,000

$7,000

$7,000

Arizona: How to Apply for UI

(877)600-2722

Arkansas

$10,000

$10,000

$7,000

Arkansas DOL

(501)682-2121

California

$7,000

$7,000

$7,000

California DOL

1(800)300-5616

Colorado

$17,000

$13,600

$13,600

Colorado DOL

(303)318-8000

Connecticut

$15,000

$15,000

$15,000

Connecticut DOL

(203)941-6868

Delaware

$16,500

$15,000

$15,000

Delaware DOL

1(800)794-3032

D.C.

$9,000

$9,000

$9,000

D.C. DOES

(202)724-7000

Florida

$7,000

$7,000

$7,000

Florida DEO

1(833)352-7759

Georgia

$9,500

$9,500

$9,500

Georgia DOL

1(877)709-8185

Hawaii

$51,600

$47,400

$48,100

Hawaii DOL

Oahu: (808)586-8970

Hilo: (808)974-4086

Kona: (808)322-4822

Maui: (808)984-8400

Kauai: (808)274-3043

Idaho

$46,500

$43,000

$41,600

Idaho DOL

(208)332-8942

Illinois

$12,960

$12,960

$12,740

Illinois DES

1(800)244-5631

Indiana

$9,500

$9,500

$9,500

Indiana DOL

1(800)891-6499

Iowa

$34,800

$32,400

$31,600

Iowa Workforce Development

1(866)239-0843

Kansas

$14,000

$14,000

$14,000

Kansas DOL

1(800)292-6333

Kentucky

$10,800

$11,100

$10,800

Kentucky Career Center

(502)875-0442

Louisiana

$7,700

$7,700

$7,700

Louisiana Workforce Commission

1(866)783-5567

Maine

$12,000

$12,000

$12,000

Maine DOL

1(800)593-7660

Maryland

$8,500

$8,500

$8,500

Maryland DOL

Contact Info

Massachusetts

$15,000

$15,000

$15,000

Mass DUA

1(877)636-6800

Michigan

$9,500

$9,500

$9,000

Michigan Department of Labor and Opportunity

Contact Info

Minnesota

TBD

$36,000

$35,000

Minnesota Unemployment Insurance

1-877-898-9090

Mississippi

$14,000

$14,000

$14,000

Mississippi DES

601-321-6000

Missouri

$11,000

$11,000

$11,500

Missouri DOL

Contact Info

Montana

$38,100

$35,300

$34,100

Montana Unemployment Insurance Division

406-444-2545

Nebraska

$9,000

$9,000

$9,000

NE Works

855-995-8863

Nevada

$36,600

$33,400

$32,500

Nevada DOL

Contact Info

New Hampshire

$14,000

$14,000

$14,000

New Hampshire Workforce Connect

1(800)852-3400

New Jersey

$39,800

$36,200

$35,300

New Jersey DOL

Contact Info

New Mexico

$28,700

$27,000

$25,800

New Mexico Workforce Connection

Contact Info

New York

$12,000

$11,800

$11,600

New York DOL

1(888)581-5812

North Carolina

TBD

$26,000

$25,200

North Carolina DES

1(888)737-0259

North Dakota

$38,500

$38,500

$37,900

North Dakota DOL

(701) 328-4995

Ohio

$9,000

$9,000

$9,000

Ohio Department of Job and Family Services

1(877)644-6562

Oklahoma

$24,800

$24,000

$18,700

Oklahoma ESC

1(800)555-1554

Oregon

$47,700

$43,800

$42,100

Oregon Employment Department

1(877)345-3484

Pennsylvania

$10,000

$10,000

$10,000

Pennsylvania Office of Unemployment Compensation

Contact Info

Rhode Island

TBD

$26,100

$25,500

Rhode Island DLT

(401)415-6772

South Carolina

$14,000

$14,000

$14,000

South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce

1(866)831-1724

South Dakota

$15,000

$15,000

$15,000

South Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation

(605)626-2452

Tennessee

$7,000

$7,000

$7,000

Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development

1(877)813-0950

Texas

$9,000

$9,000

$9,000

Texas Workforce Commission

1(800)628-5115

Utah

$41,600

$38,900

$36,600

Utah Workforce Services

(801)526-9675

Vermont

$15,500

$14,100

$16,100

Vermont DOL

1(877) 214-3332

Virginia

$8,000

$8,000

$8,000

Virginia Employment Commission

Contact Info

Washington

$62,500

$56,500

$52,700

Washington Employment Security Department

1(800)318-6022

West Virginia

$12,000

$12,000

$12,000

Workforce West Virginia

1(800)379-1032

Wisconsin

$14,000

$14,000

 

Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

(608) 266-3131

Wyoming

TBD

$27,300

 

WYUI

(307)473-3789

 

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Written by Gentry DeWinter

Gentry graduated from Grand Valley with a Bachelor’s Degree in multi-media journalism. She is an artist who loves videography, writing, and hopes to one day own multiple dogs.

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