--- kind: "section" citation: "5 U.S.C. § 8505" title: "5" title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees" number: "8505" heading: "Payments to States" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/8505" units: - "Part III — Employees" - "Subpart G — Insurance and Annuities" - "Chapter 85 — Unemployment Compensation" - "Subchapter I — Employees Generally" --- # §8505. Payments to States - (a) Each [State](/usc/5/8501.md?p=6) is entitled to be paid by the [United States](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-18) with respect to each individual whose [base period](/usc/5/8501.md?p=8) wages included [Federal wages](/usc/5/8501.md?p=2) an amount which shall bear the same ratio to the total amount of [compensation](/usc/5/8501.md?p=4) paid to such individual as the amount of his [Federal wages](/usc/5/8501.md?p=2) in his [base period](/usc/5/8501.md?p=8) bears to the total amount of his [base period](/usc/5/8501.md?p=8) wages. - (b) Each [State](/usc/5/8501.md?p=6) shall be paid, either in advance or by way of reimbursement, as may be determined by the [Secretary](/usc/5/9901.md?p=2) of Labor, the sum that the [Secretary](/usc/5/9901.md?p=2) estimates the [State](/usc/5/8501.md?p=6) is entitled to receive under this subchapter for each calendar month. The sum shall be reduced or increased by the amount which the [Secretary](/usc/5/9901.md?p=2) finds that his estimate for an earlier calendar month was greater or less than the sum which should have been paid to the [State](/usc/5/8501.md?p=6). An estimate may be made on the basis of a statistical, sampling, or other method agreed on by the [Secretary](/usc/5/9901.md?p=2) and the [State](/usc/5/8501.md?p=6) [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1). - (c) The [Secretary](/usc/5/9901.md?p=2), from time to time, shall certify to the [Secretary](/usc/5/9901.md?p=2) of the Treasury the sum payable to each [State](/usc/5/8501.md?p=6) under this section. The [Secretary](/usc/5/9901.md?p=2) of the Treasury, before audit or settlement by the [Government](/usc/5/4101.md?p=3) Accountability [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3), shall [pay](/usc/5/7511.md?p=a-4) the [State](/usc/5/8501.md?p=6) in accordance with the certification from the [funds](/usc/5/8401.md?p=6) for carrying out the purposes of this subchapter. - (d) Money paid a [State](/usc/5/8501.md?p=6) under this subchapter may be used solely for the purposes for which it is paid. Money so paid which is not used for these purposes shall be returned, at the time specified by the agreement, to the Treasury of the [United States](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-18) and credited to current applicable appropriations, [funds](/usc/5/8401.md?p=6), or [accounts](/usc/5/8401.md?p=1) from which payments to [States](/usc/5/8501.md?p=6) under this subchapter may be made. - (e) An agreement may— - (1) require each [State](/usc/5/8501.md?p=6) officer or [employee](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2) who certifies payments or disburses [funds](/usc/5/8401.md?p=6) under the agreement, or who otherwise participates in its performance, to give a surety bond to the [United States](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-18) in the amount the [Secretary](/usc/5/9901.md?p=2) considers necessary; and - (2) provide for payment of the cost of the bond from [funds](/usc/5/8401.md?p=6) for carrying out the purposes of this subchapter. - (f) In the absence of gross negligence or intent to defraud the [United States](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-18), an individual designated by the [Secretary](/usc/5/9901.md?p=2), or designated under an agreement, as a certifying official is not liable for the payment of [compensation](/usc/5/8501.md?p=4) certified by him under this subchapter. - (g) In the absence of gross negligence or intent to defraud the [United States](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-18), a disbursing official is not liable for a payment by him under this subchapter if it was based on a voucher signed by a certifying official designated as provided by [subsection (f)](#f) of this section. - (h) For the purpose of payments made to a [State](/usc/5/8501.md?p=6) under subchapter III of [chapter 7](/usc/42/chch7.md) of title 42, [administration](/usc/5/9801.md?p=1) by a [State](/usc/5/8501.md?p=6) [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) under an agreement is deemed a part of the [administration](/usc/5/9801.md?p=1) of the [State](/usc/5/8501.md?p=6) unemployment [compensation](/usc/5/8501.md?p=4) law. ## Source credit (Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 588; Pub. L. 94–566, title II, § 214(a), Oct. 20, 1976, 90 Stat. 2678; Pub. L. 108–271, § 8(b), July 7, 2004, 118 Stat. 814.) ## Notes | Historical and Revision Notes | | | | --- | --- | --- | | Derivation | U.S. Code | Revised Statutes and
Statutes at Large | | | 42 U.S.C. 1366. | Sept. 1, 1954, ch. 1212, § 4(a) “Sec. 1506”, 68 Stat. 1133. | In the first sentence of subsection (d), the word “may” is substituted for “shall” since the sentence does not direct the use of the money, rather it limits the purposes for which the money may be used. In subsections (f) and (g), the word “official” is substituted for “officer” because of the definition of “officer” in section 2104. Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report. ### Editorial Notes ### Amendments 2004—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 108–271 substituted “Government Accountability Office” for “General Accounting Office”. 1976—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–566 substituted provisions that each State is entitled to be paid by the United States with respect to each individual whose base period wages included Federal wages an amount which shall bear the same ratio to the total amount of compensation paid to such individual as the amount of his Federal wages in his base period bears to the total amount of his base period wages for provisions that each State is entitled to be paid by the United States an amount equal to the additional cost to the State of payments of compensation in accordance with an agreement under this subchapter which would not have been made by the State but for the agreement. ### Statutory Notes and Subsidiaries ### Effective Date of 1976 Amendment Amendment by Pub. L. 94–566 applicable with regard to compensation paid on the basis of claims for compensation filed on or after July 1, 1977, see section 214(c) of Pub. L. 94–566, set out as a note under section 8501 of this title.