RATE REDUCTION. Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 3-103, 3-109, 3-110 and 3-113 of this title, for the time period beginning July 1, 1998, and ending December 31, 2001, the contribution rate assigned to an employer shall be reduced by fifty percent (50%); provided: the tax rate of employers assigned a tax rate pursuant to Sections 3-103 and 3-110 of this title shall not be reduced to less than one percent (1%); employers who qualify for an earned rate calculated pursuant to Section 3-109 of this title, and are given a rate of five and one-half percent (5.5%) shall be reduced to no less than five and four-tenths percent (5.4%); and employers who qualify for an earned rate calculated pursuant to Section 3-109 of this title, and are given a rate of one-tenth of one percent (0.1%), shall be reduced to a rate of zero percent (0.0%).