2019 Wyoming Statutes
Title 27 - Labor and Employment
Chapter 3 - Unemployment Compensation
Article 5 - Employer Contributions
Section 27-3-502 - Determination of Employer and Employment; Election of Coverage; Records and Reports; Injunction; Service Suppliers.

27-3-502. Determination of employer and employment; election of coverage; records and reports; injunction; service suppliers.

(a) Upon its own motion or application of an employing unit and after notice and opportunity for hearing, the department may determine if an employing unit is an employer and if services performed for the employing unit qualify as employment. The department shall consider employment occurring during a ten (10) year period preceding the date of employer determination. A determination by the department is final as to the employing unit fifteen (15) days after mailing its findings and determination to the employing unit. The employing unit may appeal a determination in accordance with W.S. 27-3-506.

(b) Except as provided by subsection (d) of this section, an employing unit qualifying as an employer within any year is subject to this act for that entire calendar year.

(c) An employer enumerated under this subsection may apply in writing to the department before January 31 for termination of coverage under this act for that calendar year. The department may waive the application filing requirement for good cause. Employers to which this subsection applies include:

(i) Repealed By Laws 1999, ch. 73, § 3.

(ii) An agricultural employer paying wages of less than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00) each quarter during the preceding calendar year or employing less than ten (10) workers on any day of twenty (20) or more different weeks within a calendar year;

(iii) A domestic employer paying wages of less than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) in each quarter of the preceding calendar year;

(iv) A nonprofit organization paying wages for less than four (4) individuals or for less than twenty (20) weeks in the preceding year.

(d) An employing unit not qualifying as an employer or for which services not qualifying as employment are performed may elect coverage under this act for a period of not less than two (2) years by filing written notice of its election with the department. If the department approves the election in writing, coverage is effective on the date of approval. Application for termination of coverage as an employer under this subsection shall be filed in writing with the department not less than thirty (30) days before January 1 of any year following the initial two (2) years of coverage and for termination of coverage of employment, not less than thirty (30) days after January 1. The department may terminate coverage under this subsection for good cause by giving notice to the employer.

(e) An employing unit shall maintain accurate employment records containing information prescribed by the commission. Records shall be open to inspection by and submitted to the department upon request. An employing unit shall submit reports on employees upon request of the department or an appeal tribunal.

(f) Any employing unit subject to this act shall not commence business or engage in work within this state without registering under this act and otherwise complying with this act. A prime or general contractor subcontracting any part of a contract shall require notification and compliance by any subcontractor under this subsection before awarding a contract or permitting a subcontractor to begin work. The state, a county, municipality or any other political subdivision shall require the prime or general contractor to register and comply with this act before authorizing the contractor to begin work under any public contract. The secretary of state shall report to the department the names and addresses of all business entities registering with that agency during the preceding month. The Wyoming department of transportation and the department of administration and information shall report to the department the names and addresses of business entities awarded a contract by that agency during the preceding month. Any employing unit failing to comply with this subsection or W.S. 27-3-510(c) or (d) or delinquent for filing reports or paying contributions required under this act may be enjoined by the department from engaging or continuing in business subject to this act until required reports are filed or payments are made and the unit otherwise complies with this act. All costs of the action including a reasonable attorney fee shall be paid by the employing unit against which the injunction is sought. In addition to the penalties and remedies provided by W.S. 27-3-510 through 27-3-512 and 27-3-704, the department may assess and collect an additional fee of up to three (3) times the amount of delinquent contributions payable under this act for any employing unit failing to comply with this subsection. This additional fee is part of the payment due for all purposes if an action is instituted under this subsection. If the employing unit is a subcontractor, the general contractor or the project owner may be held liable for payment of the contributions and any additional assessment due.

(g) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this act:

(i) A service supplier is the employing unit of the worker provided to the client and shall be liable to pay the contributions on wages paid by it to the worker performing services for the client;

(ii) If an entity is not a service supplier as defined by W.S. 27-3-501(a)(viii) or if the client pays wages to the worker directly, then the client is the employing unit of the worker and shall be liable to pay the contributions on wages paid by it to the worker performing services for the client;

(iii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an entity pays the worker and that entity is not the employing unit of the worker as determined herein, that entity is deemed the agent of the employing unit so determined;

(iv) If the service supplier fails to pay all contributions or submit required reports which are due, then the client shall be jointly and severally liable for those which are attributable to wages for services performed for the client by the worker provided by the service supplier;

(v) The service supplier shall keep separate records, submit a list of all clients to the department on a quarterly basis and submit separate quarterly reports for each client;

(vi) Repealed By Laws 2007, Ch. 177, § 2.

(vii) A temporary service contractor is the employing unit of the temporary worker provided to an employer and shall be liable to pay the contributions on wages paid by the temporary service contractor to the temporary worker performing services for the employer.

(h) If an employing unit fails to comply with an injunction order issued under subsection (f) of this section, the department may file with the district court of the county in which the employing unit resides, conducts business or may be found, a verified application showing that the employing unit received notice of an injunction order and has failed to comply with its terms. Upon receipt of the department's application, the court shall provide the employing unit with an opportunity for a hearing within twenty (20) days. Upon finding that the employing unit has violated the department's injunction, the court may issue an order directing the employing unit, including any partners or corporate officers, to comply with the injunction order and may assess a fine of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per day for each day of violation. Any officer or director having at least twenty percent (20%) ownership interest of a corporate employing unit, who controls or supervises filing contribution reports or making payment contributions under this act and who willfully fails to file the reports or make required payments, may be held jointly and severally liable for the contributions and interest due from the employing unit. In any court proceeding for the enforcement of an injunction order, the department shall not be required to show that it lacks adequate legal remedy or is suffering irreparable harm due to the violation of the injunction order. Any employing unit failing to comply with an order of the court issued under this subsection may be cited for contempt.