Published: 10-03-07
AUSTIN –Texas employers now have the option of paying their quarterly Unemployment Insurance (UI) taxes by credit card the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) announced today.“Texas employers requested this expanded service and we are pleased to make the online credit card payment system available to them” TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Ron Lehman. “By utilizing the latest technology TWC can make the quarterly UI tax payment system more efficient for employers.”
TWC collects UI taxes from Texas employers for the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund which funds UI benefits to workers who become unemployed through no fault of their own and who are actively seeking work. Employers subject to UI taxes include those paying $1500 in wages in a calendar quarter or having at least one employee during 20 different weeks in a calendar year.
Previously Texas employers made quarterly UI payments by check bank debit or electronic funds transfer. Now most of the state’s more than 400000 employers have the credit card option. Larger employers such as those paying $250000 or more in UI taxes annually still are required to pay by electronic funds transfer.
To make payments by credit card employers need to register on the TWC Web site’s Unemployment Tax Services’ page at http://www.twc.state.tx.us/ui/tax/emtaxinfo.html.
The TWC site offers secure encrypted payment processing. TWC will not retain credit card information between financial quarters. For the third quarter ending October 1 employers have until October 31 2007 to make payment.
The strong economic climate has helped to decrease demands on the UI trust fund with UI claims down more than 50 percent over the past four years. Over the past 12 months Texas employers have added 229000 jobs representing a 2.3 percent annual growth rate - nearly double the national rate of 1.2 percent for the same period.
The Texas Workforce Commission is a state agency dedicated to helping Texas employers workers and communities prosper economically. For details on TWC and the programs it offers in unison with its network of local workforce development boards call (512) 463-8556 or visit www.texasworkforce.org.
