Workforce Developments: January 2010
January 2010 | Governor Mitch DanielsIn this issue..
- 2009 Income Tax Information for Unemployment Insurance Recipients
- WAG – Apply for Spring Semester Now
- DWD helps make holiday wishes come true
- Help Wanted: Who’s Hiring?
- Notes from the Commissioner
2009 Income Tax Information for Unemployment Insurance Recipients
The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is preparing to mail income tax statements (Form 1099G) this month. If you collected unemployment insurance benefits in 2009, you will need this form to file your 2009 income tax returns.
If you have moved in the past year and your current address is not on file with DWD, please update it. All tax forms will be mailed to the address we have on file. You can update your address through “Uplink” at www.in.gov/dwd/unemployment or at your local WorkOne Center. Hoosiers who don’t receive their 1099G in the mail can visit their local WorkOne Center in person to request a duplicate after February 15, 2010.
All unemployment insurance benefits are taxed at the federal, state and local levels. However, the first $2,400 in unemployment benefits is tax-free at the federal level. Any amount over $2,400 is taxed.
100 percent of unemployment benefits are subject to state and local taxes. Unemployment recipients need to add back the amount they deducted from their federal taxable income, up to $2,400, when they report their state income for 2009.
Some Hoosiers may qualify for Indiana’s Unemployment Insurance deduction. See the chart below for the appropriate form to file to report unemployment benefits and determine eligibility for the deduction.
| State Tax Return Form | Report Benefits (Income) | Unemployment Deduction |
|---|---|---|
| IT-40 (Full-year resident) | Schedule 1 | Schedule 2 |
| IT-40NPR (part-year resident) | Schedule B | Schedule C |
| IT-40EZ (easy filing) | Worksheet on Back | Worksheet on Back |
State tax return forms can be found online at http://www.in.gov/dor/4167.htm
For more information please contact:
Indiana Department of Revenue: 317-232-2240 http://www.in.gov/dwd/www.in.gov/dor
WAG – Apply for Spring Semester Now
When Congress passed the federal stimulus package, Governor Mitch Daniels directed state agencies to put the money to work quickly and leave a lasting asset to the state. Nothing has compared to the Workforce Acceleration Grant program that helps Hoosiers acquire the education or training they need to excel in the 21st Century.
The program provides up to $3,000 a year for a student’s expected family contribution, unfunded tuition costs, books and fees in an associate degree or vocational training program. To qualify for WAG, eligible workers must be at least 18 years old, have the legal right to work in the U.S., and be pursuing an associate degree or post-secondary certificate that leads to a high-wage or high-demand occupation. Eligible workers must qualify as a low-income participant or be an unemployed worker. It is time now to apply for the spring semester.
Approximately 1,900 students have taken advantage of WAG since the program began last fall. It is expected that the number of Hoosiers applying for WAG will increase as more people become aware of this unique opportunity to help pay for their education.
Hoosiers interested in applying for a Workforce Acceleration Grant should visit their local WorkOne Center to determine their eligibility. Hoosiers can find their nearest WorkOne Center by visiting http://www.workoneworks.com/. Workforce Acceleration Grant recipients can pursue areas of study at more than 50 colleges and universities in Indiana that provide occupational training leading toward an associate degree or certificate program. General studies, liberal arts, baccalaureate and graduate programs are not covered. A complete list of eligible schools can be found at http://www.in.gov/dwd/www.IN.gov/dwd.
DWD helps make holiday wishes come true
Employees at the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) are used to assisting Hoosiers when they perform their every day duties on the job. That “helping out” philosophy carries over during the holidays.
Each year, DWD employees raise money to support those in need through gift and monetary donations. Employees donated gifts and food to help support three families during this holiday season. In total, more than $2,000 was raised. Other donations included a large amount of toys, a DVD player, two coats, a watch, wallets, stockings and stocking stuffers, lotions and bath items, mop buckets with cleaning supplies, gift cards, wrapping paper with tags and bows and nine boxes of non-perishable food items.
Beyond the personal charitable donations that were given from the dedicated employees of DWD, the department also held fund raisers such as bake sales, books sales, and blue jeans and Colts days that helped raise money for families in need.
Help Wanted: Who’s Hiring?
Looking back during 2009, Indiana’s economy began to show signs of recovery as evidenced by the decline in the unemployment rate, the slowing of mass layoffs and decline in payroll job losses. There is also evidence that employers are hiring and seeking qualified applicants to fill vacancies.
For individuals who are unemployed and seeking a new career, an analysis of employer help wanted ads is critical to effective career planning.
An analysis of monthly Indiana job ads using the U.S. Conference Board’s Help Wanted Online survey for 2009 (see: http://www.conference-board.org/pdf_free/HWOnLineNov09_TN.pdf) indicates 36,432 unique job ads posted through internet job boards and newspaper online ads. The “top ten” occupational groups that saw the most online ads are: 1) Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations, 2) Sales and Related Occupations, 3) Office and Administrative Support Occupations, 4) Management Occupations, 5) Computer and Mathematical Occupations, 6) Business and Financial Operations, 7) Healthcare Support, 8) Transportation and Material Moving, 9) Installation, Maintenance and Repair, and 10) Architecture and Engineering.
An analysis of the “top ten” online ads reveals that these occupations pay well above the state median wage of $30,335. Most require education and training at the post-secondary level, while some only require “on-the-job” training. Projected demand for these occupations will increase as Indiana’s economy continues to recover. Job seekers impacted by layoffs and restructuring looking to find job security and competitive salaries should explore training and careers in these high demand fields.
Help Wanted Online Ads - Indiana, Monthly Ad Volume 2009
Major Occupational Group |
Minimum Education Required |
Median Salary |
Monthly Ad Volume |
|
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations |
Associate’s Degree |
$50,315 |
6,766 |
|
Sales and Related Occupations |
High School Diploma |
$22,583 |
5,085 |
|
Office and Administrative Support Occupations |
High School Diploma |
$27,907 |
4,374 |
|
Management Occupations |
Bachelor’s Degree |
$77,180 |
4,261 |
|
Computer and Mathematical Occupations |
Bachelor’s Degree |
$59,991 |
1,985 |
|
Business and Financial Operations Occupations |
Bachelor’s Degree |
$51,517 |
1,648 |
|
Healthcare Support Occupations |
On-the-Job Training |
$24,067 |
1,503 |
|
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations |
On-the-Job Training |
$27,812 |
1,434 |
|
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations |
Postsecondary Certificate |
$38,620 |
1,084 |
|
Architecture and Engineering Occupations |
Bachelor’s Degree |
$59,751 |
992 |
|
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations |
Bachelor’s Degree |
$32,979 |
921 |
|
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations |
On-the-Job Training |
$16,443 |
908 |
|
Production Occupations |
Postsecondary |
$30,610 |
813 |
|
Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations |
Bachelor’s Degree |
$46,790 |
585 |
|
Personal Care and Service Occupations |
On-the-Job Training |
$19,448 |
560 |
|
Education, Training, and Library Occupations |
Bachelor’s Degree |
$38,171 |
521 |
|
Construction and Extraction Occupations |
On-the-Job Training |
$40,623 |
481 |
|
Community and Social Services Occupations |
Bachelor’s Degree |
$34,229 |
393 |
|
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations |
On-the-Job Training |
$21,079 |
374 |
|
Protective Service Occupations |
On-the-Job Training |
$31,982 |
251 |
|
Legal Occupations |
First Professional Degree |
$50,908 |
161 |
|
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations |
On-the-Job Training |
$25,389 |
52 |
|
Unspecified |
|
|
1,280 |
|
Total |
|
|
36,432 |
Greetings,
As we enter a new year, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many people who rose to the challenge during one of the most difficult economic times since the early 1980’s. These times taxed our system like none other. On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers who turned to us for help in 2009, I would like to thank my staff of nearly 1,000 dedicated employees and our great service partners.
One year ago at this time we were just barely starting to see the effects of the global and national economic downturn. Many Hoosiers collected unemployment insurance for the first time in their lifetime and needed help accessing the Internet and filing for benefits. To provide Hoosiers with additional assistance, DWD partnered with libraries and faith-based organizations. Volunteers were trained on electronic filing and DWD loaned state surplus computers to increase Internet availability.
Congress passed several unemployment insurance extensions in 2009 and each time, Indiana was one of the first states in the nation to provide these benefits to Hoosiers. I can’t tell you how proud it made me when I read newspaper accounts about other states taking two to three months to provide benefits that our dedicated staff programmed in only two to three weeks.
Creating a highly-skilled workforce through education and training continues to be one of our top priorities. Over the summer, we unveiled the Workforce Acceleration Grant program, which provides up to $6,000 grants for a two-year college degree. We also implemented Governor Daniels’ Young Hoosiers Conservation Corps, putting at-risk Hoosier youth to work at state parks learning new skills and preparing them for a lifetime of employment. Educating our workforce is the key to improving Indiana’s economy and attracting new employers to our state.
The coming year will continue to present challenges, but DWD and its partners are well equipped to succeed and overcome. Once again, thank you for your work in 2009 and my best wishes for a successful 2010 and beyond.
Sincerely,
Teresa
Commissioners Indiana Department of Workforce Development
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