Quote:
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Tim C
The State of Oregon Employment Department is currently outlining legislation that officials in the State of Oregon ARE employees of the Association.
Currently Oregon has viewed sport officials are "independent subcontractors" and have allowed them to be exempt from workmen's compensation fees.
The new ruling will cause multiple challenges:
1) All State Association's will be charged payroll tax.
2) All Officials will be taxed for workman's compensation, state withholding taxes and any other taxes that a local government has voted into place.
3) All officials game checks will also be taxed for the state unemployment claims fund.
At the legislative level we have been fighting this change for two years.
It appears that we are losing.
Why is this happening?
A single basketball referee in Southwestern Oregon lost his job. When he went for unemployment benefits he lists "Sports Official" as a source of income. This set off an alarm within the employment system.
Is there another way to end this?
Sure, we could go back to the way we did it for decades. We are paid now from out local association. All schools send in their fees for the entire year before a pitch is thrown. We have about 5 paydays spread out over the school season. Prior to this system we got a check from the school for each game.
The name on the check was usually: Pay to Salem Baseball Officials Association.
We all would find "special places" that would cash the check when we signed:
"Pay to Salem Baseball Officials Association."
Our school system has noted that they would be required to write as many as 500,000 checks to cover all games fees at all schools levels and they will refuse to add this cost to their accounting budgets.
The State of Oregon has noted that since we receive 1099's at year's end from our "employer" we are, in fact, employees.
Regards,
|
|
Tee is your association going to lose officials over this new legislation?
Also, will the Fees increase to compensate the officials for the increase in tax
In other words lets assume a $50.00 (under the table) Game Fee. With the new legislation this $50.00 will now be taxed, so will the FEES increase so that the net return to the official remains the same.
Thanks
Pete Booth