(a) Effective January 1, 1994, the director shall prepare a statement on or before November 30 of each calendar year, which shall be a public record, declaring the rate of contributions of the succeeding calendar year for all employers and self-employed individuals covered under Section 708 or 708.5 and shall notify promptly the employers and self-employed individuals of the rate. For calendar years 1994 to 1996, inclusive, worker contributions required under Section 708 or 708.5 shall be at a rate determined by the director to reimburse the Disability Fund for the sum of estimated administrative costs due to those sections and unemployment compensation disability benefits estimated to be paid to all employers and self-employed individuals covered by those sections. The rate shall be determined by dividing the sum of the benefits expected to be paid in the following calendar year and the administrative costs expected to be incurred under Section 708 or 708.5 during that calendar year by earnings estimated to be reported under those sections for that same calendar year. The resulting rate shall be rounded to the next higher one-hundredth percentage point. This rate may also be reduced or increased by a factor estimated to maintain as nearly as practicable a cumulative zero balance in funds contributed pursuant to Section 708 or 708.5.

For calendar year 1997, and each calendar year thereafter, the rate established each November 30 shall be determined by multiplying the current year’s rate by the ratio of 1.10 times the current year disbursements divided by contributions for the same period, under Sections 708 and 708.5. If in any calendar year the cumulative balance of contributions minus disbursements equals or exceeds 20 percent of annual disbursements, the contribution rate for the succeeding year shall be adjusted to a level necessary to maintain revenues at no more than 20 percent over annual disbursements. If legislation is enacted necessitating adjustments in the benefit levels for employers and self-employed individuals covered under Section 708 or 708.5, the rate may be adjusted by a factor estimated to provide that funds contributed pursuant to Section 708 or 708.5 cover disbursements pursuant to these sections.

For the purpose of this subdivision, disbursements are defined as the sum of unemployment compensation disability benefits paid to employers and self-employed individuals covered under Section 708 or 708.5, plus administrative costs related to those sections. Estimates made pursuant to this subdivision shall be available for public inspection.

(b)  The director’s action in determining a rate under this section shall not constitute an authorized regulation.

(Added by Stats. 1993, Ch. 747, Sec. 7.5. Effective January 1, 1994.)