Page 127

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 40. Labor Page 127 shall not be increased to more than five and four-tenths percent (5.4%) in one (1) year. For the purposes of this section “net benefits paid for the most recent twenty (20) consecutive completed calendar quarters” means the total amount of monies withdrawn from this state’s account in the unemployment trust fund in the United States Treasury for each of the most recent twenty (20) consecutive completed calendar quarters, plus the balance in the benefit account at the start of the period, less the balance in the benefit account at the end of the period. The contribution rate for those employers with a benefit wage ratio of zero (0) shall be two-tenths of one percent (2/10 of 1%) during those years when the fund is in conditions “a”, “b”, and “c”, and shall be three-tenths of one percent (3/10 of 1%) during those years when the fund is in condition “d”. (6) Beginning January 1, 1996, except for this paragraph and paragraph (7) of this section, the provisions of this section shall be suspended until the Unemployment Trust Fund reaches a High Cost Multiple of one and one-fourth (1 1/4). The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission shall determine the High Cost Multiple at the end of each calendar year and shall include the result of its computation in a regularly published periodical together with other employment-related data. As used in this section, “High Cost Multiple” shall be a figure computed as follows: (a) first, net fund reserves in the Unemployment Compensation Fund as of the date of each computation required by this section shall be divided by total wages earned in insured employment for the twelve (12) months preceding the date of the quarterly High Cost Multiple computation, (b) second, the result of the computation from subparagraph (a) of this paragraph shall be divided by a figure which is a quotient derived from the computation of the High-Cost Rate contained in subparagraph (c) of this paragraph, and (c) third, the highest ratio of total state benefit payments experienced previously in any twelve (12) consecutive months to total wages earned in insured employment for the same period shall be the High-Cost Rate. The result of all computations contained in subparagraphs (a) through (c) of this paragraph, performed in the sequence as specified in this section, shall be known as the High Cost Multiple. (7) Prior to the beginning of each calendar year, the Commission shall prepare an estimate of the financial condition of the trust fund. If the estimate for the year shows the balance, at any time during the year, will fall below the High Cost Multiple as