This Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) informs states of the Department of Labor’s (Department) interpretation of the Trade Act, applicable to workers without regard to whether they were covered by certifications issued under the 2002 Amendments or the 2009 Amendments or any future law governing the TAA program, allowing equitable tolling of the statutory and regulatory TAA deadlines for: 1) enrolling in training as a condition of eligibility for Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA) under section 231(a)(5)(A) of the Trade Act; 2) making a bona fide application to a training program as a condition of eligibility for Additional TRA under section 233(b); and 3) applying for job search allowances under section 237(a)(2)(C) and relocation allowances under section 238(a)(2)(E) and (c) of the Trade Act. In this context, this TEGL emphasizes to State Workforce Agencies or agencies designated by Governors as “Cooperative State Agencies” (CSAs) (also jointly referred to as “states”) the critical importance of their responsibility to notify adversely affected workers that they are covered under a TAA certification and to supply them with TAA benefit information that explains these deadlines.

To announce the release and availability of Comparison of State Unemployment Insurance Laws 2011

The Department of Labor (Department) is clarifying the amount of grant funding available for the second round of grants that will be awarded under the H-1B Technical Skills Training Grants competition and encouraging applicants to apply by November 17, 2011.

To provide information on the definition and implementation of the UI Performs Core Measure for UI Integrity.

To provide guidance to the states regarding the content of the WIA Annual Report narrative, provide strategies for business engagement (as referenced in section 4, part c), and address the procedures for submission of the report to the Employment and Training Administration (ETA). The Annual Report is due on Monday, October 3, 2011.

To advise states about President Obama’s Hardest Hit Fund and advise states to consider ways that unemployed workers facing severe financial hardship can be informed of the program, specifically through One-Stop Career Centers, state websites, and other methods as identified by the individual state.

To announce the launch of the "Improper Payment High Priority States" initiative to reduce the unacceptably high levels of improper UI payments in those states.

To transmit the subject computation for State Workforce Agency usage in computing minimum weekly DUA amounts for all major disasters declared during the first quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2012.

This Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL) provides information to state workforce agencies about changes to NAICS coding for calendar year 2012 and requests that states update industry codes on employer unemployment insurance (UI) accounts.

To remind states of their obligations to provide meaningful access to the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program for individuals with limited English proficiency and to provide guidance to states about reasonable steps that should be taken to help ensure individuals understand their rights and responsibilities related to UI.