39-51-1101. Commencement and termination of coverage under chapter. (1) Any employing unit which is or becomes an employer subject to this chapter within any calendar year shall be subject to this chapter during the whole of such calendar year, except that this subsection shall not apply to an employing unit electing coverage as provided for in 39-51-1102.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in 39-51-1102, an employing unit shall cease to be an employer subject to this chapter only as of January 1 of any calendar year only if it files with the department prior to the last day of February of such year a written application for termination of coverage and the department finds that the total wages payable for employment by said employer in the preceding calendar year did not equal or exceed the amount of wages required under 39-51-202 to be considered an employer subject to this chapter. For the purpose of this subsection, the two or more employing units mentioned in 39-51-202(4) or (5) shall be treated as a single employing unit.