Claims administration
F.A.R. Management, Inc. uses claims' protest language state agencies recognize and react to, to stop invalid claims. We take the paperwork out of your hands, set up computerized tracking mechanisms allowing us the ability to view and monitor the origin of the activity - because we can not fix a problem if you do not know where it lies. Our management reports pinpoint claims by job classification, department or location within the employer's organization.
Hearing representation
Our claims administration routinely protests unqualified unemployment benefits, which frequently lead to facilitated administrative law judge hearings. Often hearings held months after claim filing, therefore we begin our process with another review of facts surrounding the separation of employment, and confirm availability of documents, a company representative, and first-hand witness testimony. We work with employers to assure the best possible presentation of facts. All administrative law judge decisions are reviewed with you, so you are informed of how company policies impact the outcome of claim protests. We also track decisions in order to strategize methods to maximize the potential for more decisions in your favor.
Charge benefits auditing
If benefits are denied, your account should not be charged. FAR Management monitors claims disqualifications to assure that state agencies do not charge your account erroneously - which, by our records, happens in roughly 15-20% of all unemployment claims. We act as your advocate in these cases, to have those monies returned to your account - so you pay the correct amount and not a penny more.
Employment practice consulting
Employer policies, procedures, and documentation practices are established to run an efficient business operation while complying with applicable federal or state requirements. In many instances they may not be worded or applied in a manner that will sallow you to avoid payment of an unemployment claim. We thoroughly review policies, handbooks, and disciplinary practices, looking for language or practices that may allow claims to be paid, and provide alternatives for you to consider. This, along with claim and hearing decision reviews, keeps your defense up to date and stops the drain on your account from payment of unnecessary claims.
Pre-Termination consulting
We encourage you to call us, time permitting, prior to discharging any employee so that we can discuss the situation and advise you as to the probability of benefits being charged to your account. Employers have lost appeals because they did not think the process through before terminating an employee. In many instances of chronic absenteeism or tardiness, we are able to recommend alternatives when there is not enough documentation to support a winning determination. This alone will reduce claims and costs, and lead to better termination practices.
regulations compliance
Unemployment regulations change by legislative action or court decision. Unemployment agencies can also implement administrative rules to impact existing statutes. Court decisions that interpret how existing regulations should be applied become altering decisions for future claims that have the same or similar separation facts. FAR Management remains involved with both state and federal legislative changes to protect the business community in general from ill-advised legislative action, and often testifies at both levels. We keep you up to date and well informed of these situations.
Reimbursable Invoice verification
Governmental agencies, educational institutions, non profit organizations and Native American Indian Tribes can elect to become reimbursable entities, which means that they reimburse the state agencies for every dollar of benefits paid to former employees. Depending on the states regulations, that reimbursement might be monthly, quarterly, or annually. By monitoring claims and every dollar of benefits paid out, we are able to verify that the reimbursements are accurate. We also work with you to maintain accruals and make sure that claims under dispute are not reimbursed until all appeals are completed.
Tax projections
Protecting your profit margins is the cornerstone of our programs and services, and projecting future unemployment tax rates well before they are announced is one of our strengths. Unemployment tax rates - typically tied to a calendar year - change yearly but are often announced after the year has begun. The danger for an employer is underpaying the State Unemployment Taxes (SUTA) for the weeks and months before the state announces the tax rate, and then being required to make up the difference plus interest, without a way to recover those costs from its product of services. We project the tax rates in the fall of each year while auditing client tax records against state records - to assure accuracy. Our projections also assure that clients can include any anticipated tax increase in bids for new business, or update existing bids for an increased tax expense.
unemployment tax rate verification
It makes good business sense to verify the unemployment payroll tax rates you pay. An unemployment tax rate is controllable, and is based on historical payroll and claims data. We believe rates should be verified annually, and request specific business records from clients each year to assure that the tax rates assigned by each state unemployment agency are correct.