Abstract: In this paper we will discuss the unemployment insurance programs of Wisconsin, USA. Normally, the State Government runs these programs by obeying the Federal Law. The State Government also fixes the amount of compensation as well as the eligibility criteria. To get the unemployment benefits one has to meet the eligibility criteria, which may differ from other states of US.
The Wisconsin State Government following the guidance set by the Federal Law runs Wisconsin Unemployment Insurance programs. These programs intend to help the eligible but jobless workers by providing some compensation, although for a certain period, to them.
The duration of this compensation in Wisconsin may not be same like any other states in America. The state has been suffering from high unemployment rate for the last two or three years. So, the state government has extended the duration of unemployment benefit. Normally, the unemployment benefits are provided for 12 to 26 weeks.
The state government also sets the amount of unemployment insurance. These programs are financed by collecting taxes from the state employers. The employers will fall under the scope unemployment insurance tax if they pay at least 1500 dollars in wages, including salaries, vacation pay, bonuses, commissions, tips, dismissal pay etc, during any “calendar quarter”. The agricultural employers have to pay tax if they spent 20,000 dollars in wages during a calendar year.
Employers engaged in domestic services will be levied unemployment insurance tax if they pay 1000 dollars in wages during a calendar year.
The unemployment insurance benefits in Wisconsin are subject to both Federal and state taxes. The benefit amount ranges between 49 to 329 dollars. However, the claimants must be available for work and have to meet the eligibility criteria set by the Wisconsin Law.