§ 28-42-38.1. Quarterly wage reports. (a)(1) The department of labor and training is designated and constituted the agency within this state charged with the responsibility of collecting quarterly wage information, as required by 42 U.S.C. § 1320b-7. Each employer shall be required to submit a detailed wage report to the director, for all calendar quarters within thirty (30) days after the end of each quarter in a form and manner prescribed by the director, listing each employee's name; social security account number; the total amount of wages paid to each employee; and any other information that the director deems necessary. All reports shall be in addition to those now required by the department.

(2) The department will utilize the quarterly wage information that it collects from employers to establish an individual's eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits and to determine the amount and duration of benefits for all new claims filed.

(3) Notwithstanding any provisions of chapters 42 - 44 of this title to the contrary, the department may utilize employee quarterly wage information submitted by employers to measure the progress of the state in meeting the performance measures developed in response to United States Public Law 105-220, the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (see 29 U.S.C. § 2801 et seq.), further provided however, that the department may verify certain employee quarterly wage information for the local workforce investment board and provide it with the verified data under procedures established by rules and regulations promulgated by the director. The director shall also make the quarterly wage information available, upon request, to the agencies of other states in the performance of their public duties under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 in that state. This information shall be made available only to the extent required by the Secretary of Labor and necessary for the valid administrative needs of the authorized agencies, and all agencies requesting this data shall protect it from unauthorized disclosure. The department shall be reimbursed by the agencies requesting the information for the costs incurred in providing the information.

(4) Notwithstanding any provisions of chapters 42 - 44 of this title to the contrary, the department may provide quarterly wage information to the United States Census Bureau for the purpose of participating in a joint local employment dynamics program with the United States Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

(5) Notwithstanding any provisions of chapters 42 - 44 of this title to the contrary, the department may provide employee quarterly wage information to the department's designated research partners for the purpose of its workforce data quality and workforce innovation fund initiatives. The provision of these records will be done in accordance with an approved data-sharing agreement between the department and its designated research partners that protects the security and confidentiality of these records and through procedures established by protocols, rules and/or regulations as determined necessary by the director and appropriately established or promulgated.

(b) Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of chapters 42 - 44 of this title, an employer who or that fails to file a detailed wage report in the manner and at the times required by subsection (a) of this section for any calendar quarter shall pay a penalty of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for each failure or refusal to file. An additional penalty of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) shall be assessed for each month the report is delinquent; provided, that this penalty shall not exceed two hundred dollars ($200.00) for any one report. This penalty shall be paid into the employment security tardy account fund and if any employer fails to pay the penalty, when assessed, it shall be collected by civil action as provided in § 28-43-18.

History of Section. (P.L. 1986, ch. 231, § 1; P.L. 1988, ch. 173, § 2; P.L. 1999, ch. 96, § 1; P.L. 2000, ch. 109, § 39; P.L. 2005, ch. 276, § 1; P.L. 2012, ch. 20, § 1; P.L. 2012, ch. 31, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 125, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 133, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 302, art. 13, § 8.)