Bemidji chamber to host free unemployment insurance update April 16

Laid-off workers, seasonal employees and anyone worried about a gap in income will have a chance to hear directly from Minnesota’s unemployment officials when the Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce hosts a free update on unemployment insurance Thursday morning.

The session is set for April 16 from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. at the chamber offices, 102 First St. W., Suite 105, in Bemidji. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s Unemployment Insurance Program will lead the presentation, and chamber materials say attendees will get updates on Minnesota’s unemployment insurance program, learn about recent changes and ask questions directly to a DEED representative.

For workers facing layoffs or reduced hours, the meeting could help clear up how benefits are handled and what steps to take first. For employers in Beltrami County and across Minnesota, the timing is just as important: the state says businesses with covered employment must register for an employer account, pay quarterly UI tax into the Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund and file quarterly wage detail reports even when no covered wages were paid.

Those filing requirements matter because Minnesota’s unemployment insurance system runs on reporting, payroll records and deadlines that can affect both benefit eligibility and tax liability. The state’s 2026 UI taxable wage base is $44,000, and 2026 tax-rate determinations were mailed to employers on or before Dec. 15, 2025. For businesses trying to keep up with payroll obligations, those numbers shape how much is owed and when.

The state also says unemployment benefit payments are charged back to base-period employers according to the wages each employer paid, and the program uses wage cross-matching to detect possible benefit overpayments. That means inaccurate wage reports or missed filings can create delays, corrections and extra work for both employers and claimants.

The session also comes as Minnesota’s employer portal now serves both UI and Paid Leave employers and agents, adding another layer of state reporting for local businesses to track. For Bemidji employers, clerks and managers handling payroll or human resources, the chamber’s April 16 event offers a short window to get answers before a mistake turns into a delay.