Former nanny filing unemployment claim - what is our liability?

[Anonymous]

We received a series of notices in the mail this weekend from the DC Department of Unemployment Services that a former nanny whom we had hired on a temp nanny share contract last summer has filed an unemployment claim. One of the notices indicated that our account could potentially be charged a large share of her unemployment benefits.

Could someone help us decipher what this means? Will we be billed directly for her benefits, or, will the impact on us be that our unemployment insurance rate could go up in the future but we have no liability now?

Thanks to anyone who has experience with this.

[Anonymous]

Yikes. I'd call an employment atty.

[Anonymous]

On the notices you receive should be a form you complete, and phone numbers you can call (and the relevant case numbers.)

I would call and talk with someone.

If you do nothing it is considered uncontested.

If unemployment is paid and attributed in some part to you, you will not be billed directly but your insurance rate could go up - that's all.

[Anonymous]

If she worked 30 or more days after leaving you. it Will not matter if you contest.

[Anonymous]

Did you have a signed agreement with her?

[Anonymous]

Charging an account means that whatever benefits they pay her will be used in computing your future rate for Unemploment Tax computation.

If you paid unemployment taxes to commission, this is annoying but not significant problem. I'm still paying higher rates, because of the nanny I let go 3 years back. Still my kids are better for it. It is like extra $300/year. Annoying? Yes. In the grand scheme of things it just washes out...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Charging an account means that whatever benefits they pay her will be used in computing your future rate for Unemploment Tax computation.

If you paid unemployment taxes to commission, this is annoying but not significant problem. I'm still paying higher rates, because of the nanny I let go 3 years back. Still my kids are better for it. It is like extra $300/year. Annoying? Yes. In the grand scheme of things it just washes out...

+1 - this usually means she got a job after your temp job and that job ended unexpectedly. Your account only gets charged a pro-rata amount. Not a big deal, especially if she was short term. This is why you pay that tax!