(2) The director may, at the discretion of the director and in lieu of such deposit, accept a bond or an irrevocable letter of credit issued by an insured institution as defined in ORS 706.008 in a form acceptable to the director to secure payment of contributions to become due the fund. The deposit or posting of the bond or letter of credit shall not relieve the employer from making contributions to the fund based on the payroll of the employer as provided by this chapter. The director may, at the discretion of the director, at any time apply such deposit or bond or letter of credit or part thereof to the delinquencies or indebtedness of the employer arising under any provision of this chapter.
(3) Any deposit, letter of credit or bond shall be deemed for all purposes to become the sole property of the Director of the Employment Department and shall be deposited in the Employment Tax Guarantee Fund and held for the sole benefit of the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund and the Employment Department Special Administrative Fund, subject only to subsection (4) of this section. The deposit, letter of credit or bond shall be prior to all other liens, claims or encumbrances and shall be exempt from any process, attachment, garnishment or execution whatsoever and shall be for the sole benefit of the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund and the Employment Department Special Administrative Fund except as provided in subsection (4) of this section.
(4) If an employer ceases to be an employer subject to this chapter, the Director of the Employment Department shall, upon receipt of all payments due the fund based on the employer’s payroll, refund to the employer all deposits remaining to the employer’s credit and shall cancel any bond or letter of credit given under this section. Such sums as are on deposit in the Employment Tax Guarantee Fund or bonds held for the benefit of the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund shall first be applied to any indebtedness or deficiencies due from the employer to the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund and the Employment Department Special Administrative Fund under any provisions of this chapter before any return is made to the employer. The employer shall have no interest in such deposit, letter of credit or bond prior to full compliance with this section and all provisions of this chapter. [1959 c.598 §7; 1967 c.435 §6; 1991 c.331 §97; 1997 c.631 §517; 1999 c.59 §197]