Maine Revised Statutes

A. "Employing unit," as defined in this chapter, includes any Indian tribe for which service in employment is performed. [2001, c. 381, §1 (NEW).]

B. "Employment" includes service performed in the employ of an Indian tribe, as defined in the Federal Unemployment Tax Act, 26 United States Code, Chapter 23, Section 3306(u), 2000, referred to in this section as "FUTA," as long as that service is excluded from the definition of employment as defined in 26 United States Code, Section 3306(c) solely by reason of 26 United States Code, Section 3306(c)(7) and is not otherwise excluded from the definition of employment under this chapter. For purposes of this paragraph, the exclusions from employment in section 1043, subsection 11, paragraph F, subparagraph (21), division (i), subdivisions (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) are applicable to services performed in the employ of an Indian tribe. [2001, c. 381, §1 (NEW).]

C. "Indian tribe" means an Indian tribe or tribal unit, including a subdivision, subsidiary or business enterprise wholly owned by an Indian tribe subject to this chapter. [2001, c. 381, §1 (NEW).]

A. An Indian tribe shall pay contributions under the same terms and conditions as all other subject employers unless that Indian tribe elects to pay into the fund amounts equal to the amount of benefits attributable to service in the employ of the Indian tribe. [2001, c. 381, §1 (NEW).]

B. An Indian tribe electing to make payments in lieu of contributions shall make that election in the same manner and under the same conditions as provided in section 1221, subsection 11 for the State and local governments and nonprofit organizations subject to this chapter. An Indian tribe shall determine if reimbursement for benefits paid will be elected by the Indian tribe as a whole, by an individual tribal unit or by a combination of individual tribal units. [2001, c. 381, §1 (NEW).]

C. An Indian tribe or tribal unit must be billed for the full amount of benefits attributable to service in the employ of the Indian tribe or tribal unit on the same schedule as other employing units that have elected to make payments in lieu of contributions. [2001, c. 381, §1 (NEW).]

D. At the discretion of the commissioner, an Indian tribe that elects to become liable for payments in lieu of contributions shall, within 60 days after the effective date of its election:

A. An Indian tribe that fails to make the payments required by this chapter, including assessments of interest and penalty, within 90 days of receipt of the bill loses the option to make payments in lieu of contributions, as described in subsection 3, for the following tax year unless payment in full is received before contribution rates for the next tax year are computed. [2001, c. 381, §1 (NEW).]

B. An Indian tribe that loses the option to make payments in lieu of contributions due to late payment or nonpayment, as described in paragraph A, regains the option if, after a period of one year, all contributions have been made on time and no contributions, payments in lieu of contributions for benefits paid, interest or penalties remain outstanding. [2001, c. 381, §1 (NEW).]

C. Notwithstanding subsection 1, paragraph B, if the Indian tribe fails to make required payments, including assessments of interest and penalty, after all collection activities considered necessary by the commissioner have been exhausted, services performed for that Indian tribe are not considered employment for purposes of subsection 1, paragraph B. [2001, c. 381, §1 (NEW).]

D. An Indian tribe that loses coverage due to paragraph C may have services performed for that Indian tribe included as employment at the discretion of the commissioner, once all contributions, payments in lieu of contributions, interest and penalties have been paid. [2001, c. 381, §1 (NEW).]

A. Will cause the Indian tribe to be liable for taxes under FUTA; [2001, c. 381, §1 (NEW).]

B. Will cause the Indian tribe to lose the option to make payments in lieu of contributions; and [2001, c. 381, §1 (NEW).]

C. Could cause services in the employ of the Indian tribe to be excepted from employment for purposes of obtaining benefits under the Employment Security Law. [2001, c. 381, §1 (NEW).]