Anchorage Daily News

State cuts unemployment insurance rates

The state has lowered unemployment insurance tax rates for the second year in a row for employers, the state Department of Labor said. The rate for next year will be 1.65 percent on average, compared with 2 percent this year, the department said.

The rate is paid by both workers and their employers on the first $32,700 an employee earns.

Only employers -- not workers -- will see their 2009 rate cut, the department said. Employers will pay a 1.15 percent tax on average, down from 1.5 percent this year, while employees will continue to pay 0.5 percent.

The lower rate means employers will pay $93 less in taxes for a typical worker, the department said. The taxes go into the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, which pays unemployment insurance benefits to jobless workers. Unemployment claims have been lower during the past few years and the number of payroll jobs has been growing, said Tom Nelson, director of the state Employment Security Division.

Coffee Land Coffee of Alaska has second spot

Coffee Land Coffee of Alaska has opened a second location in Anchorage, in the Peterson Tower at 510 L St. The shop has coffee drinks, breakfasts and lunches, catering, a gallery and gift items. The other outlet is in Spenard. Coffee Land has wireless Internet. The phone number is 243-0303.

Heartland Payment Systems is honored

Heartland Payment Systems Inc. has won the Alaska Spirits Award from CHARR -- the Alaska Cabaret, Hotel, Restaurant & Retailer's Association. The award goes to a business that shows leadership to improve the industry. Heartland keeps CHARR members posted on credit-card scams, security requirements for credit-card machines, Visa lawsuit settlements and other matters. Nationally it has lobbied for credit-card processing fees that are fairer to merchants.

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