(a) The commissioner of revenue is ex officio the treasurer and custodian of the fund and shall administer it as directed by the department. Disbursements shall be issued from the fund in accordance with AS 37.25.050 and the regulations that the department adopts. The fund has three separate accounts:
(1) a clearing account;
(2) an unemployment trust fund account; and
(3) a benefit account.
(b) The department, or a designee of the department, shall immediately deposit, upon receipt, all money payable to the fund in the clearing account. Refunds of contributions erroneously collected and payable under AS 23.20.225 and 23.20.526(a)(11) may be paid from the clearing account in the same manner, or from the training and building fund. Interest and penalty payments may not be refunded from the unemployment compensation fund. After clearance, all money in the clearing account, except for that portion of employee contributions under AS 23.20.290(d) used to pay interest on advances received under AS 23.20.140, shall be immediately deposited with the United States Secretary of the Treasury to the credit of the account of this state in the unemployment trust fund established and maintained under 42 U.S.C. 1104 (§ 904, Social Security Act), as amended.
(c) The benefit account consists of money requisitioned from this state’s account in the unemployment trust fund for the purpose of paying benefits. Money in the clearing and benefit accounts may be deposited by the designee of the department, under the direction of the department, in a bank or public depository in which general funds of the state may be deposited, but no public deposit insurance charge or premium may be paid out of the fund. Money in these accounts may not be commingled with other state funds, but shall be maintained in separate accounts on the books of the depository bank. The money is secured by the depository law of this state. Collateral pledged for this purpose shall be kept separate and distinct from collateral pledged to secure other funds of the state. The commissioner of revenue is liable on the official bond of the commissioner for the faithful performance of the commissioner’s duties in connection with the fund. Sums recovered for losses sustained by the fund shall be deposited in the fund.