AK SB178

Amends Alaska Employment Security Act to allow federally recognized tribes and their wholly owned subdivisions, subsidiaries, or businesses to elect reimbursable employer status, bringing Alaska into compliance with federal FUTA requirements.

Noncompliance could result in loss of approximately $20,000,000 in federal administrative funding and approximately $111,000,000 in FUTA tax credits to Alaska employers.

Tribes electing reimbursable employer status must pay the full amount of regular and extended unemployment benefits, comparable to government entities, rather than only federal non-reimbursable benefits.

Requires surety bonds or deposits from tribes making reimbursement elections and mandates termination of reimbursement status if payments become delinquent.

Defines "federally recognized tribe" as tribes recognized by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior under 25 U.S.C. 479a and includes their wholly owned subdivisions, subsidiaries, or businesses.