708
. (a) Any individual who is an employer under this division or
any two or more individuals who have so qualified may file with the
director a written election that their services shall be deemed to be
services performed by individuals in employment for an employer for
all the purposes of this division. Upon the approval of the election
by the director, the services of those individuals shall be deemed to
constitute employment for an employer for all of the purposes of
this division. Regardless of their actual earnings, for the purposes
of computing benefit rights and contributions under this division,
they shall be deemed to have received the following remuneration for
each calendar quarter:
(1) For purposes of unemployment insurance, the highest amount of
wages required to be entitled to the maximum benefit amount provided
in Section 1280.
(2) For purposes of disability insurance, the highest amount of
wages required to be entitled to the maximum benefit amount provided
in Section 2655.
(A) For disability insurance contributions on or after July 1,
1994, the quarterly contribution shall be the product of one-fourth
of the amount of net profit, but not less than one thousand one
hundred fifty dollars ($1,150) except when subparagraph (B) applies,
reported on or before April 15 of the preceding year as declared on
the Internal Revenue Service Schedule SE filed by an individual who
is an employer under this division and the contribution rate
established pursuant to Section 984.5, except as provided by Section
985. On January 1, 1995, quarterly income credits for the period from
July 1, 1993, to June 30, 1994, inclusive, shall be changed to
one-fourth of the amount of the net profit or four thousand six
hundred dollars ($4,600), whichever is greater, reported on or before
April 15, 1993, as declared on the Internal Revenue Service Schedule
SE for the 1992 taxable year filed by each individual having an
elective coverage agreement in effect for that period or any portion
thereof. If no Internal Revenue Service Schedule SE was filed, the
individual shall be assigned a quarterly income credit of one
thousand one hundred fifty dollars ($1,150). Quarterly income credits
for this period shall not exceed seven thousand nine hundred
forty-two dollars ($7,942). If any quarterly income credit for the
period from July 1, 1993, to June 30, 1994, inclusive, was reduced
prior to January 1, 1995, the amended income credit shall be reduced
proportionately. Benefits payable for periods of disability
commencing on or after January 1, 1995, shall be based on Section
2655. For purposes of this division, income credits shall be included
in the term "wages."
(B) The self-employed individual shall not pay contributions for
periods of any disability, including periods for which some services
are performed while disabled. The self-employed individual shall file
a quarterly report of wages and certify as to the period of
disability in order to maintain eligibility for elective disability
insurance coverage and benefits. During periods of disability, the
self-employed individual shall reduce his or her quarterly
contributions by dividing the quarterly contribution amount by 91 to
compute the daily contribution amount, and the daily contribution
amount shall be multiplied by the number of days disabled to compute
the amount by which the quarterly contributions shall be reduced. The
department shall reduce income credits utilizing the same
calculation method.
(b) Any individual who is an employer under this division or any
two or more individuals who have so qualified may file with the
director a written election that their services shall be deemed to be
services performed by individuals in employment for an employer for
the purposes of Part 2 (commencing with Section 2601) only. Upon the
approval of the election by the director, the services of those
individuals shall be deemed to constitute employment for an employer
for the purposes of Part 2 (commencing with Section 2601) only.
Regardless of their actual earnings, for the purposes of computing
disability benefit rights and worker contributions, they shall be
deemed to have received remuneration for each calendar quarter the
highest amount of wages required to be entitled to the maximum
benefit award provided in Section 2655. For contributions on or after
July 1, 1994, the quarterly contribution shall be the product of
one-fourth of the amount of net profit, but not less than one
thousand one hundred fifty dollars ($1,150), except when subparagraph
(B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) applies, reported on or
before April 15 of the preceding year as declared on the Internal
Revenue Service Schedule SE filed by an individual who is an employer
under this division and the contribution rate established pursuant
to Section 984.5, except as provided by Section 985. The quarterly
contribution shall be reduced as set forth in subparagraph (B) of
paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) if a disability occurred during the
quarter for which payment is being made. On January 1, 1995,
quarterly income credits for the period from July 1, 1993, to June
30, 1994, inclusive, shall be changed to one-fourth of the amount of
the net profit or four thousand six hundred dollars ($4,600),
whichever is greater, reported on or before April 15, 1993, as
declared on the Internal Revenue Service Schedule SE for the 1992
taxable year filed by each individual having an elective coverage
agreement in effect for that period or any portion thereof. If no
Internal Revenue Service Schedule SE was filed, the individual shall
be assigned a quarterly income credit of one thousand one hundred
fifty dollars ($1,150). Quarterly income credits for this period
shall not exceed seven thousand nine hundred forty-two dollars
($7,942). If quarterly income credits were reduced prior to January
1, 1995, the amended income credits shall be reduced proportionately.
Benefits payable for periods of disability commencing on or after
January 1, 1995, shall be based on Section 2655. For purposes of this
division, income credits shall be included in the term "wages."
(c) (1) Any individual applying for or continuing elective
coverage under this section shall be requested to sign an annual
statement authorizing the department to verify the net profit
declared on his or her Internal Revenue Service Schedule SE. Failure
of the individual to sign a statement authorizing the department to
verify income shall result in the individual being assigned an annual
income level of four thousand six hundred dollars ($4,600) for
contribution and benefit purposes.
(2) Any individual applying for elective coverage shall submit a
copy of his or her Internal Revenue Service Schedule SE filed on or
before April 15 of the preceding year with his or her application for
elective coverage in order to establish first-year contributions and
benefits in excess of the minimum required to qualify for elective
coverage.
(d) Any self-employed individual continuing elective coverage who
fails to file an Internal Revenue Service Schedule SE by April 15 of
each calendar year is required to remit contributions based upon the
last year the self-employed individual filed an Internal Revenue
Service Schedule SE.
(e) Any self-employed individual who has not yet filed an Internal
Revenue Service Schedule SE shall be assigned an annual income level
of four thousand six hundred dollars ($4,600) for contribution and
benefit purposes.
(f) Contributions required under this division are payable on and
after the date stated in the approval of the director. The director
may levy assessments under this division for any amount due when an
elective coverage agreement has been in effect for less than two
complete calendar years. Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 1701),
relating to the collection of amount due, shall apply to this
section.
(g) No benefits shall be paid to any individual based upon
remuneration deemed to have been received pursuant to this section
unless all contributions due with respect to all remuneration deemed
to have been received by the individual pursuant to this section have
been paid to the department.
(h) No benefits shall be paid to any individual based on elective
coverage income credits in his or her base period if his or her
elective coverage agreement has been terminated under paragraph (6)
of subdivision (a) of Section 704.1.
(i) Notwithstanding subdivision (b) of Section 2627, no benefits
shall be paid to any individual covered under this section, with
respect to periods of disability commencing on or after January 1,
1994, until he or she has been unemployed and disabled for a waiting
period of seven consecutive days during each disability benefit
period.
(j) Notwithstanding Section 2653, with respect to periods of
disability commencing on or after January 1, 1994, the maximum amount
of benefits payable to an individual covered under this section
during any one disability benefit period shall be 39 times his or her
weekly benefit amount, but in no case shall the total amount of
benefits payable be more than the total wages credited to the
individual during his or her disability base period. If the benefit
is not a multiple of one dollar ($1), it shall be computed to the
next higher multiple of one dollar ($1).
(k) For purposes of this section, Internal Revenue Service
Schedule SE is defined as Internal Revenue Service Form 1040 Schedule
SE, or in the case of statutory employees under the Internal Revenue
Code, it shall be defined as Internal Revenue Service Form 1040
Schedule C, or the California Income Tax Return, when accompanied by
Internal Revenue Service Form W-2.