Employment Insurance
Changes Explained
Following is a working explan
ation of the new Employment
Security Law of Alaska enacted
by the Twenty-Second Legisla
ture:
The rate of payroll tax to be
paid by employers will continue to
be 2.7 percent, but this rate will
' apply to the first $3,600 of wages
paid to an employee during any
calendar year instead of to the
first $3,000 as under the previous
law. This change in the law be
comes effective with respect to
wages paid on or after January
1, 1955.
Another change is that employ
ees are now required to deduct
from the wages of employees, up
to the first $3,600 paid during any
calendar year, an amount equal
to one-half of one percent of
said employee’s wages. This, too,
is effective retroactively, to Jan
uary 1, 1955.
As was announced last week,
the Employment Security Com
mission postponed the mailing to
employers of employer contribu
tion reports and wage schedule
forms until such time as the
Legislature has concluded its ef
forts to amend the Employment
Security Law. Due to the radical
changes mentioned above, it is
now estimated that these report
forms will be in the mail about
April 20 and that employers will
be given until May 20 to prepare
their reports for the January -
February-March 1955 calendar
quarter. Complete instructions
will be sent each employer con
cerning the changes.
It will be noted in the new re
port forms that information
concerning how much each em
ployee earned during each calen
dar quarter is now required.
This is made necessary not only
for the reason above mentioned
that taxes are now payable on
each employee’s wages up to the
first $3,600 paid to him during
any calendar year by any em
ployer, but also benefit eligibil
ity is now contingent, among
other things, upon the amount
which the employee earned in his
calendar quarter of highest earn
mgs.
To explain further, under the
old law any employee who earn
ed $300 or more during a calen
dar year was eligible to receive
at least some unemployment in
surance benefits, subject to the
visions of Sec. 7, Chap. 99,
SLA 1953. The new law requires
that the individual’s base period
earnings must equal at least one
an|d one-fourth times the amount
he earned in his highest calendar
quarter. In other words, during
the period from July 3, 1955 the
date when the benefit payments
portion of the new law becomes
effective) to June 30, 1956 the
individual’s base period will be
the calendar year 1954. If the in
dividual earned during the cal
endar quarter July-August-Sep
tember 1954 a total of $1,000, he
would have had to earn at least
$250 during the other nine
months of 1954. This amount of
earnings would entitle him to
$17 per week for no more than
22 weeks! If he earned $360 in
the months of July, August and
September, he would have to
earn at least $90 during the other
nine months in order to be elig
ible for $10 per week for a period
not to exceed 15 weeks. If he
earned $3,200 or more during the
months of July, August and Sep
tember, he would have to earn
at least $800 additional in the
other nine months of 1954 in
order to qualify for $45 per week
for a period not to exceed 26
weeks for an amount not to
exceed $1170.
Under the old law dependents
were defined to include wives
and also, under certain condi
tions, parents, older children and
other near relatives* whereas,
the new law limits dependents to
unmarried children under 18
years of age and unmarried chil
dren over 18 years of age who be
cause of infirmity are prevented
from engaging in a gainful occu
pation and are principally de
pendent upon the claimant for
support. This change in depend
ents definition takes effect on
and after July 3, 1955, as do the
other provisions with reference
to benefit amounts.
The disqualification provisions
in the new law are practically
the same as the old law with the
exception that the rtfew law clear
ly states that women workers
who leave their jobs to follow
their husbands or to get married
are not eligible for unemploy
ment insurance until after they
; Reporters—
NoieJwak |:
Rev. Joseph Frenz of Anchor
age Lutheran Church left Anch
orage June 20 to attend conven
tions at Portland, New York and
St. Louis. Rev. Frenz is well
known in the Valley, having
served often in St. John’s Luth
eran Church.
Former Gov. and Mrs. Ernest
Gruening arrived in Juneau this
week and plan to reside at their
Eagle River home until the last
of the year. They spent the past
winter in Washington, D. C.
Alaskan wildf lowers and
plants will be featured in a show
to be offered by the Anchorage
Garden Club June 24 and 25 in
the new public library in that
city.
Drilling was scheduled to get
under way on June 21 at the Mile
125, Glenn highway site of the
Alaska Oil and Gas Development
Co.
Annabelle Kelleigh, Evelyn
Harter and Helen Rodriquez
were initiated as new members
of the American Legion Auxili
ary Unit of Palmer at the recent
meeting of the Auxiliary. Izola
Sims, department vice-president,
was initiating officer. This brings,
the local units membership up to
68, five over their quota of 63.
Several members of the Ameri
can Legion and Auxiliary will be
attending a banquet at Olivera’s
in Anchorage on June 25. The
dinner is being held in honor of
Mrs. Bess Lainson, national presi
dent of the Legion Auxiliary.
The M. V. F. C. A. produce de
partment has begun its seasonal
shipments of valley-grown pro
duce, Stewart Durrant, general
manager said this week. Local
radishes and rhubarb are now
appearing in local and Anchor
age markets.
Mrs. Ted Buzby and children,
Penny, JCinstien, Barbara and
Harry have returned to their
home in Palmer following a vaca
tion spent in Fairbanks where
they visited with relatives and
friends. Penny also attended the
4-H Round-Up held at College.
The block work on the new Co
Op building in Spenard is ex
pected to be completed this week
and the roof work will immedi
ately begin. Interior finishing
will complete the new building
construction and it is expected
to be ready for occupancy by har
vest time.
Sandra McDonald, student at
the University of Washington, ar
rived last Friday to spend the
summer with her parents, Mr.
and Mrs. L. G. McDonald of
Palmer. She came by way of the
Alaska highway with a friend,
Elora Petticrew of Wrangell.
Don A. Williams administra
tor Soil Conservation Service,
Washington, D. C. is expected to
i arrive in the valley on Friday of
j this week on his first visit to the
Territory. He expects to remain
until July 1, making side trips
to the Fairbanks, Anchorage,
Homer, and Kenai areas visiting i
with SCS district supervisors.
Approximately 100 persons at
tended the silver anniversary tea
in the United Protestant Church
on June 9. The annual Homemak
ers’ tea was postponed from the
first week in May to the later
date so Mrs. Fosn-Hansen, asso
ciate director home demonstra
tion work and Miss Madge Reese,
field agent in home demonstra
tion work in western states, Al
aska and Hawaii could attend.
The tea celebrated the 25th an
niversary of extension work in
Alaska and Mrs. Fohn-Hansen’s
25th year as home demonstration
leader. Through the Homemak
ers’ Council, Mrs. Fohn-Hansen
was persented a silver tree with
25 silver dollars. A program of
entertainment concluded the pro
gram.
Lowell Krise, student this
past year at Washington College,
is spending vacation time at the
home of Rev. and Mrs. Avery
Richie of Palmer. His brother
Gary, also a WC student, is in
Yakatat where he is working this
summer.
Mi*, and Mrs. V. W. Martin,
have earned at least $120 in em
ployment subsequent to the date
which they voluntarily left their
employment. It also bars from
unemployment insurance any
claimant whose unemployment
is found to be due to pregnancy
and requires earnings of at least
$120 subsequent to such unem
ployment before she is again
eligible.
r y&ssJ *
THE LUSITANIA .SUHK BY GERMAN
SUBMARINE IN WS, PROPELLED
U.S. TOWARD WORLD WAR I.
WOODROW WILSON\ PRESIDENT I9IZ-1920.
LED U.S. IN WAR TO MAKE THE WORLD'SAFE
TOR DFMOCRACy" ON MUCH-HERALDED TRIP
TO EUROPE, WILSON SPONSORED LEAGUE OF
NATIONS. WHICH U.S. DID NOT JOIN.
A FORMER HEAD OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY.
ENGLISH AND IMPASSIONED
SPEECHES FOR
OTHER
UNITED NATIONS OF
TODAY PATTERNED
ON OLD LEAGUE.
X
YOU MAY HAVE NO DESIRE TO EQUAL
WILSON ASA SPEECH MAKER. BUT WHO
AMONG US DOES NOT WANT TO CONVINCE OTHERS
OF THEIR OWN IDEAS t YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR
COMMAND OF ENGLISH-YOUR DICTION-YOVR SPEECH
YOUR INCOME -TOUR WTUHB-BY VS MG SPEECH PHONE
METHOD tS MINUTES DAILY in your own home .
SEND FOR5 OF THE WORLDS GREAT SPEECHES, AND BROCHURE “DOES YOU: SPEECH
SPEAK WELL OFyOUFW CHARGE &ND NAME OF NEWSPAPER, YOUR NAME
ANO ADDRESS TO P.O. BOX SS.RADiO CITY STATION, NEW YORK 19 N. Y.
ANSWER TO
RALPH WALOO EMERSON
ISOJ “ t88 2
HOMEMAKER’S
NEWS
Homesteader Club
The June 15 meeting of the
Homesteader Homemakers’ club
was held at the home of Mrs.
Ruth Callison. The club was hon
ored with two guests, one of
whom became a dub member.
Plans for the fair booth were
discussed; plans for a full bazaar
and a long range project for the
club. At the close of the business
meeting a delicious lunch was
served by the hostess.
The next regular meeting will
be held at the home of Mrs. Ruth
Callison. The club was honored
with two guests, one of who be
came a club member.
Plans for the fair booth were
discussed; plans for a full baz
aar and a long range project for
the club. At the close of the busi
ness meeting a delicious lunch
was served by the hostess.
The next regular meeting will
be held at the home of Mrs. Mab
el Wallace.
Butte Club
We met at the home of Mrs. Lu
Sandvik on June 16 and answer
ed roll call with “what we do to
save money”. Some of the dress
es for the Crippled Children’s As
sociation are finished. We are to
meet at the Butte Hall June 30
for cleanup; everybody come and
bring your mops, etc. We will
have our July picnic at some
lake. We are to take $1 to that
meeting for the Council fund.
Nugget Club
Members of the Nugget Home
makers’ club will hold their regu
lar meeting Tues., June 28 at the
home of Aleen Uzelac at 8 p.m.
daughter and son have returned
to the Valley following a stay in
the States. The Martins are
owners of Martin’s Westside
Service.
Olani S. and Vicki Durrant,
son and daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Stewart Durrant of Palmer, ar
rived at the home of their par
ents on Wednesday of this week.
Accompanying them for a sum
mer visit was their cousin Bruce
Peterson of Lehi, Utah.
Jerene Stephan of Palmer and
Coleen Teeland of Wasilla, dele
gates from the local Assembly of
Rainbow for Girls, will attend
the Grand Assembly of Rainbow
for Girls, being held in Belling
ham, Wash., June 26, 27, 28. Also
attending from Palmer will be
Betty Jo Wilson. Betty Jo plans
an additional visit to Portland
where she will vacation with
friends.
Dr. Arthur L. Brundage, dairy
husbandman at the Alaska Agri
cultural Experiment Station, has
recently been elected to the So
ciety of the Sigma Pi, national
honor society of scientific re
search, and to Gamma Sigma
Delta, the honor society of agri
culture.
FRONTIERSMAN CLASSIFIEDS
ALWAYS BRING RESULTS
Friends Invited to
Brown-Kindgren
Nuptials
The forthcoming marriage of
Barbara Anne Kindgren to John
E. Brown of Palmer has been an
nounced by the prospective
bride’s mother, Mrs. William Is
ing of Palmer. All friends of both
families are invited to the cere
mony which will be held at St.
John’s Lutheran Church on Fri
day, June 24 at 8 p.m., and to
the reception which will follow
at Elks Hall.
ALWAYS BRING RESULTS
FRONTIERSMAN CLASSIFIEDS
BENEFITS, WRITE TO THE VA
OFFICE HANDLING YOUR CASE.
IF YOU WRITE TO ANY’ OTHER OFFICE,
IT CAN ONlY FORWARD YOUR.
LETTER TO THE r—=--^j
As a service to veterans in the
community, this newspaper will
publish a column of news briefs
from the Veterans Administra
tion. For further information
veterans should contact or write
their neaest VA Office.
VA Loan Applications Continue
at High Level
Veterans Administration field
office received 53,667 applications
for guaranty of GI home loans
during April, 1955, the ninth
straight month that the figure
has topped the 50,000 mark, VA
announced today.
The April total was 2,526 above
the 51,141 applications received
by VA in March, and 57 percent
higher than the 34,103 requests
for guaranty received in April,
1954.
Despite new regulations adopt
ed by VA requiring veterans to
pay closing costs in cash, sales
continue at a record level, VA
has found, and economists see
no end to the high level of build
ing that has been experienced
the past 18 months.
There are no other plans to
tighten VA regulations regard
ing GI credit, Ralph Stone, VA
Deputy Administrator for Vet
erans Benefits, has testified be
fore the House Veterans Affair:
Committee. Mr. Stone predicted
that the booming GI housing pro
gram will expand even more, but
that VA sees no gult in the
home market.
GI home loan applications are
submitted to VA by private lend
ers making the mortgage loans
on behalf of World War II and
Korean conflict veterans. VA
then guarantees repayment of a.
portion of the loan.
During April VA received ap
praisal requests for 105,238 pro
posed and existing homes, a de
crease of 6,555 units under the
April peak of 111,793. More than
60 percent of the 105,000 units to
be papraised were proposed
homes and the remainder were
on existing houses.
Question of the Week:
Q. I am thinking of paying
my GI insurance premiums once
a year, in advance. If I pay my
yearly premium, and suddenly
need the money, would it be
possible for me to get it back
•from VA?
A. Yes. VA will refund you
whatever amount has not yet
been applied to monthly premi
ums.
Representatives of the Greater
Palmer Civil Defense District
who traveled to Elmendorf AFB
Sunday to observe the 10th Air
Division air control center were
A1 Hagen, Ralph Moore, Lorenzo
Smart, Mary Steelman, Art Sta
cy, Walter Teeland, Mrs. Ted
Mommsen, Mrs. Ernest Peck, and
Mrs. Paul LePors. Other local
groups will visit the restricted
center on June 25 and July 10.
John Hamann, poultry special
ist with the U. S. Department of
Agriculture was scheduled to ar
rive in Palmer this afternoon,
He plans to remain in the terri
tory for two to three weeks, de
voting his time to appraisals of
marketing and production of
poultry products.
\