39-51-1301. Penalty and interest on past-due reports and payments. - Montana Statutes

     39-51-1301. Penalty and interest on past-due reports and payments. (1) Failure to file reports and make payments in a timely manner, as required under 39-51-404, 39-51-603, 39-51-1103, and 39-51-1125, may subject an employer to penalty and interest, as provided in subsection (2).
     (2) The department may assess penalties and interest under this section as follows:
     (a) a penalty of $25 for the failure to file reports or make payments in a timely manner;
     (b) in addition to the late penalty provided in subsection (2)(a), a penalty of $50 if the department issues a subpoena or makes a summary or jeopardy assessment, as provided in 39-51-1302, as the result of an employer's refusal or failure to provide requested information;
     (c) in addition to the penalties in subsections (2)(a) and (2)(b), a penalty of $100 for failure to comply with a subpoena; and
     (d) interest at the rate of 1.5% a month on any amounts owed to the department under this subsection (2) that are not paid in a timely manner.
     (3) The department may waive all or any portion of any penalties and interest assessed under subsection (2).
     (4) There is an account in the federal special revenue fund. Penalties and interest collected for unemployment insurance obligations must be deposited in that account. Money deposited in that account and appropriated to the department may be used by the department only to administer this chapter, including the detection and collection of unpaid taxes and overpayments of benefits to the extent that federal grant revenue is less than amounts appropriated for this purpose. Money in the account not appropriated for these purposes must be transferred by the department to the unemployment insurance trust fund at the end of each fiscal year.
     (5) All money accruing to the unemployment insurance trust fund from interest and penalties collected on past-due unemployment insurance taxes must be used solely for the payment of unemployment insurance benefits and may not be used for any other purpose.

     History: En. Subd. (a), Sec. 14, Ch. 137, L. 1937; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 137, L. 1939; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 164, L. 1941; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 233, L. 1943; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 190, L. 1945; amd. Sec. 24, Ch. 368, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 197, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 87-135; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 47, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 57, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 19, Ch. 685, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 2, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 349, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 369, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 555, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 13, Sp. L. June 1986; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 234, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 12, Ch. 373, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 639, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 195, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 24, Ch. 491, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 52, Ch. 427, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 95, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 597, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 466, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 88, L. 2009.