New Jersey employers can breathe a sigh of relief, as Governor Christie has announced that new fiscal management practices have brought New Jersey’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund into solvency for the first time since 2009. This spares businesses from a drastic tax surcharge, as Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA) was set to increase from the base rate of 0.6% ($42 maximum per employee) to 1.5% ($105 maximum per employee). The surcharge is imposed when a state has borrowed from the Federal Unemployment Trust Fund and increases each year. In 2012, NJ employers paid 1.2% due to the surcharge ($84 maximum per employee). By repaying the loan to the Feds, employers will not be subject to this surcharge on their 2013 FUTA wages and will only pay the base rate of 0.6% ($42 maximum per employee).