Biggest UI Hole: It’s California By a Wide Margin

Indiana is unfortunately all too familiar with outstanding loans from the Federal Unemployment Account (that means borrowing money from the feds to provide unemployment benefits for state workers who have lost their jobs). At least Indiana’s balance of slightly over $2 billion owed pales to, guess who, California.

According to U.S. Department of Labor numbers at the end of February, California owed $10.2 billion of the $38.55 billion total that 28 states had borrowed from Uncle Sam. New York is second on the list with a $3.7 billion balance, followed by Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Illinois and Ohio.

California’s UI Trust Fund did not become insolvent until 2009, so the debt has been piling up quickly. Businesses suffer, however, as outstanding loan balances mean they lose credits and pay higher federal unemployment taxes until the situation is resolved.

Indiana Chamber efforts in 2011 helped move Hoosier businesses into a lower rate schedule to offset some of the increased federal payments. The move is expected to save employers a combined $2 billion through 2020.

Who else has outstanding federal balances? Florida, New Jersey and Wisconsin owe between $1 million and $2 million. Those with less than a $1 million balance (biggest balance first) are Kentucky, Nevada, South Carolina, Missouri, Georgia, Connecticut, Arizona, Colorado, Arkansas, Virginia, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Michigan, Kansas, Vermont, Alabama, Delaware and the Virgin Islands.