Nonchargeable Benefits Component (NBC)

This component is the only one of the three components of the unemployment tax rate that does not reflect an employer's own experience.  This component is generally a flat 1.0% for all contributing employers with three or more years in business (the look-back period still remains at 9 years; 108 months).  However, for employers with no, or very few, benefit charges the Nonchargeable Benefits Component (NBC) can gradually become as low as 0.06% (6/100).

This component is used to pay the costs of unemployment benefits, which are pooled among employers, i.e., benefits not charged directly against any particular employer's account and benefits charged against employers that go out of business.

For example, if a worker is disqualified for benefits for quitting a job or for being fired but re-qualifies for benefits by getting a new job and earning a required amount, then unemployment benefits may be paid if that worker later becomes unemployed.  But the benefits will not be charged against the account of the employer involved in the quit or firing.

Another example is that of a bankrupt employer, whose former workers will receive benefits, even though the UIA probably will not receive further tax payments from the employer.  Those benefits will be financed from the pooled reserves of all employers.  The Nonchargeable Benefits component provides the money for this pooled reserve.

The maximum NBC is 1.0% and the minimum is 0.06%.