Section 34-8-85 - Withdrawals from Unemployment Trust Fund for expenditures under chapterMoneys shall be requisitioned from this state's account in the Unemployment Trust Fund solely for the payment of regular benefits and extended benefits and for refunds pursuant to Code Section 34-8-164 and in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Commissioner, except that moneys credited to this state's account pursuant to Section 903 of the federal Social Security Act, as amended, may be requisitioned and used exclusively as provided in paragraphs (1) through (5) of this Code section:
(1)Funds for payment of future benefits. The Commissioner shall from time to time requisition from the Unemployment Trust Fund amounts, not exceeding the amount standing in this state's account therein, as deemed necessary by the Commissioner for the payment of benefits for a reasonable future period. Upon receipt thereof, the Commissioner shall deposit the funds in the benefit account. The benefit account shall be used solely for the payment of regular benefits and extended benefits or refunds upon requisition of the Commissioner as authorized in this Code section. Withdrawal of such funds in the benefit account shall not be subject to any provisions of law requiring specific appropriations or other formal releases of state officers of moneys in their custody. The Commissioner's requisitions for lump sum withdrawals for the payment of individual benefit claims shall not exceed the balance of funds in the Unemployment Trust Fund; and such requisition shall be in an amount estimated to be necessary for benefit payments for such reasonable future period as the Commissioner may by regulation prescribe. Such lump sum amounts, when received by the Commissioner, shall be immediately deposited in the benefit account maintained in the name of the Commissioner in such bank or public depository and under such conditions as the Commissioner determines necessary; provided, however, that such bank or public depository shall be one in which general funds of the state may be deposited, but no public deposit insurance charge or premium shall be paid out of the fund; provided, further, that such moneys shall be secured by the depository bank to the same extent and in the same manner as required by the general laws of this state governing depositories of state funds and that collateral pledged for this purpose or bonds given for this purpose shall be kept separate and distinct from any collateral or bonds pledged or given to secure other funds of the state. The Commissioner or a duly authorized representative of the Commissioner shall be authorized to draw and issue checks on the benefit account for the payment of individual benefit claims. Any balance of moneys requisitioned from the Unemployment Trust Fund which remains unclaimed or unpaid in the benefit account after the expiration of the period for which such sums were requisitioned shall either be deducted from estimates for and may be utilized for the payment of benefits during succeeding periods or, in the discretion of the Commissioner, shall be redeposited with the secretary of the treasury of the United States to the credit of this state's account in the Unemployment Trust Fund as provided in Code Section 34-8-84;(2)Appropriation of administration expenses. Moneys credited to the account of this state in the Unemployment Trust Fund by the secretary of the treasury of the United States pursuant to Section 903 of the federal Social Security Act, as amended, may be requisitioned and used in the payment of expenses incurred for the administration of this chapter pursuant to a specific appropriation by the General Assembly, provided that the expenses are incurred and the moneys are requisitioned after the enactment of an appropriations Act which: (A) Specifies the purposes for which such moneys are appropriated and the amount appropriated therefor; and(B) Limits the period within which such moneys may be expended to a period ending not more than two years after the date of the enactment of the appropriations Act;(3)Limitation on withdrawals and use of funds. Moneys credited to the account of this state pursuant to Section 903 of the federal Social Security Act, as amended, may not be withdrawn or used except for the payment of benefits or for the payment of expenses for the administration of this chapter and of public employment offices pursuant to this Code section;(4)Records of appropriated funds. Moneys appropriated for the payment of expenses of administration pursuant to this Code section shall be requisitioned as needed for the payment of obligations incurred under such appropriation and, upon requisition, shall be deposited in the Employment Security Administration Fund, but, until expended, shall remain a part of the Unemployment Trust Fund. The Commissioner shall maintain a separate record of the deposit, obligation, expenditure, and return of funds so deposited. If any moneys so deposited are, for any reason, not to be expended for the purposes for which they were appropriated, such moneys shall be returned promptly to the secretary of the treasury of the United States for credit to this state's account in the Unemployment Trust Fund; and(5)Appropriations to Department of Labor. There is authorized to be appropriated by the General Assembly to the Department of Labor any part of or all moneys credited to the account of this state in the Unemployment Trust Fund by the secretary of the treasury of the United States pursuant to Section 903 of the federal Social Security Act, as amended, and as provided in this Code section; provided, however, that notwithstanding any other provisions of this Code section to the contrary, moneys credited with respect to federal fiscal years 1999, 2000, and 2001, and moneys credited with respect to the special transfer made under Section 903(g) of said Act, shall be used solely for the administration of the unemployment insurance program in Georgia and are not subject to appropriations by the General Assembly.Amended by 2009 Ga. Laws 49,§ 10, eff. 4/21/2009.