48-655. Combined taxes; payments in lieu of contributions; collections; setoffs; interest; actions; setoff against federal income tax refund; procedure.

(1) Combined taxes or payments in lieu of contributions unpaid on the date on which they are due and payable, as prescribed by the commissioner, shall bear interest at the rate of one and one-half percent per month from such date until payment, plus accrued interest, is received by the commissioner, except that no interest shall be charged subsequent to the date of the erroneous payment of an amount equal to the amount of the delayed payment into the unemployment trust fund of another state or to the federal government. Interest collected pursuant to this section shall be paid in accordance with subdivision (1)(b) of section 48-621. If, after due notice, any employer defaults in any payment of combined taxes or payments in lieu of contributions or interest thereon, the amount due may be collected (a) by civil action in the name of the commissioner and the employer adjudged in default shall pay the costs of such action, (b) by setoff against any state income tax refund due the employer pursuant to sections 77-27,197 to 77-27,209, or (c) as provided in subsection (2) of this section. Civil actions brought under this section to collect combined taxes or interest thereon or payments in lieu of contributions or interest thereon from an employer shall be heard by the court at the earliest possible date and shall be entitled to preference upon the calendar of the court over all other civil actions except petitions for judicial review under section 48-638.

(2) The commissioner may recover a covered unemployment compensation debt, as defined in 26 U.S.C. 6402, by setoff against a liable party's federal income tax refund. Such setoff shall be made in accordance with such section and United States Treasury regulations and guidelines adopted pursuant thereto. The commissioner shall notify the debtor that the commissioner plans to recover the debt through setoff against any federal income tax refund, and the debtor shall be given sixty days to present evidence that all or part of the liability is either not legally enforceable or is not a covered unemployment compensation debt. The commissioner shall review any evidence presented and determine that the debt is legally enforceable and is a covered unemployment compensation debt before proceeding further with the offset. The amount recovered, less any administrative fees charged by the United States Treasury, shall be credited to the debt owed. Any determination rendered under this subsection that the liable party's federal income tax refund is not subject to setoff does not require the commissioner to amend the commissioner's initial determination that formed the basis for the proposed setoff.

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