§ 41-27-235 — Employment by Native American tribes; benefits; contributions.

(A) The term "employment" means service performed in the employ of a Native American tribe, as defined in Section 3306(u) of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA), if the service is excluded from "employment" as defined in FUTA solely by reason of Section 3306(C)(7), FUTA, and is not otherwise excluded from "employment" under this title. (B) Benefits based on service in employment defined in this section are payable in the same amount, on the same terms, and subject to the same conditions as benefits payable on the basis of other service subject under this title. (C)(1) Native American tribes or tribal units including subdivisions, subsidiaries, or business enterprises wholly owned by such tribes subject to this title shall pay contributions under the same terms and conditions as all other subject employers, unless they elect to pay into the state unemployment trust fund amounts equal to the amount of benefits attributable to service in the employ of the Native American tribe or tribal unit including all extended benefits paid for any reason. (2) A Native American tribe or tribal unit that elects to pay a benefit attributable to service in their employ but fails to reimburse the required payment, including an interest and penalty assessment, within ninety days of the receipt of a bill, causes the Native American tribe to lose the option to make a payment in lieu of a contribution for the following tax year unless payment in full is received before the contribution rates for the next year are computed. The department shall notify the United States Internal Revenue Service and the United States Department of Labor of a tribe or tribal unit's failure to make a required payment within ninety days of a final notice of delinquency. (3) A Native American tribe that loses the option to make payments in lieu of contributions shall have that option reinstated if, after a period of one year, all contributions have been paid on a timely basis and no contributions, payments in lieu of contributions, penalties, or interest remain outstanding.

Legislative History

HISTORY: 2002 Act No. 306, SECTION 1, eff June 5, 2002; 2004 Act No. 170, SECTION 1, eff February 18, 2004; 2010 Act No. 146, SECTION 18, eff March 30, 2010. Effect of Amendment The 2004 amendment in subsections (C)(2) and (3) deleted "or tribal unit" following "Native American tribe". The 2010 amendment in subparagraph (C)(2) substituted "department" for "commission" preceding "shall notify the United States Internal Revenue Service"; and made other nonsubstantive changes.