The 2022-23 Budget: State Payments on the Federal Unemployment Insurance Loan [Publication Details]

Feb 15, 2022 - In this post, we provide a projection of state and employer costs to repay the federal Unemployment Insurance loan under two economic scenarios, assess the effects of the Governor's proposed $3 billion General Fund payment toward the outstanding loan, and present an alternative to the Governor's proposal that could provide more immediate tax relief.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/4543

The 2022-23 Budget: Analysis of the Care Economy Workforce Development Package

Mar 10, 2022 - Historically, a small statewide payroll tax provided funding for ETP grants but, in recent years, the state has supplemented this longstanding funding source with General Fund monies for targeted training grants.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4572

Revisiting the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Insolvency [Publication Details]

Sep 30, 2016 - In this series of four online posts, we (1) examine the current condition of the UI trust fund and how it may change in the near future, (2) provide context on who pays UI taxes and how much they pay, (3) assess the extent to which the UI trust fund is prepared for the next economic downturn, and (4) look at potential steps the Legislature could take should it wish to increase reserves in the trust fund as a means to address the fiscal impacts of the next economic downturn.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/3503

The 2022-23 Budget: Supply Chain and Port Infrastructure Proposals

Feb 15, 2022 - The Legislature would generally need to repurpose the associated funding for other SAL‑related purposes, such as tax reductions or an alternative excluded expenditure. Issues for Legislative Consideration The Legislature may want to modify the Governor ’s proposal so that it best address its priorities.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4540

The 2022-23 Budget: Assessing Proposals to Address Unemployment Insurance Fraud

Feb 15, 2022 - In light of this scrutiny, the Internal Revenue Service recently called off its planned adoption of ID.me for tax filing. (After the publication of this report, the IRS reinstated its use of ID.me, but with added safeguards.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4542

The 2020-21 Spending Plan: Labor and Employment Issues

Oct 5, 2020 - The department requested resources for AB  5 because its payroll tax auditors must determine if a worker is an independent contractor or an employee. Funds will be used to train auditors to apply the new test and hire auditors to prepare audits for additional employer appeals that are expected as a result of the law.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4274

MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Unit 6 (Corrections)

Apr 4, 2016 - These leave cash outs are subject to Medicare payroll taxes but do not affect employees ’ pension benefits. The administration assumes that departments would absorb these costs within existing departmental resources.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3409

Savings Plus Program: An Optional Retirement Benefit for State Employees

Mar 14, 2017 - During the career of employees in Social Security, both the employer and employee pay taxes on earnings. In 2017, both the employee and the state pay 6.2  percent of the employee ’s pay. Payroll taxes are not applied to earnings above a wage limit —$127,200 in 2017.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3616

MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Unit 7 (Protective Services and Public Safety)

Jun 24, 2016 - These leave cash outs are subject to Medicare payroll taxes but do not affect employees ’ pension benefits. The administration assumes that departments would absorb these costs within existing departmental resources.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3486

The 2017-18 Budget: Governor’s CalPERS Borrowing Proposal

May 16, 2017 - Second, the state must set aside a portion of capital gains tax revenues that exceed a specified threshold (we refer to this as “excess capital gains taxes ”). The state must split these totals between debt payments and reserve deposits.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3673