To provide State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) with guidelines and key dates for the release of UI BAM paid and denied claims data for CY 2003 and to inform the states that the Department of Labor (DOL) will publish BAM program data in the CY 2003 UI Performs Annual Report.

To advise states of an amendment to the definition of wages in Federal unemployment compensation (UC) law related to the treatment of employer payments made for a Health Savings Account.

To educate workforce leaders about building new and successful partnerships between the WIA system and faith-based and community organizations (FBCO), and to announce a new grant opportunity for workforce investment boards (WIB) that successfully demonstrate the ability to partner with FBCOs.

To encourage labor representatives on state and local Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) to attend the 2004 training conferences sponsored by the AFL-CIO Working for America Institute. The conferences will be held May 12-14 in San Diego, California, and May 19-21 in New York, New York.

This advisory provides guidance for funding of ATAA administrative costs.

To provide states and grantees of the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) policy and procedures relating to program termination, transition of participants and closeout pursuant to the rescission of the Welfare-to-Work (WtW) State formula program funded in Fiscal Year 1999 under Section 403(a)(5)(H)(i)(II) of the Social Security Act. A list of the applicable grants (30) and their expiration dates prior to the rescission is provided in Attachment B.

To provide procedural guidance to State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) on processing of requests for certification under the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) and Welfare-to-Work Tax Credit (WtWTC) after these tax credits expired on December 31, 2003. This guidance covers the period January 1 - September 30, 2004. If the WOTC and WtWTC program has not been reauthorized by September 30, 2004, additional guidance will be issued.

To provide adjusted funding levels for Program Year (PY) 2003 allotments for the Dislocated Worker program under WIA Title I Section 132(c) through the recapture and reallotment mechanism.

To announce the extension of the form ETA-227 for reporting benefit payment control activities.

To encourage attendance and participation at the "United We Ride National Leadership Forum", February 23-25, 2004, in Washington, D.C. The U.S. Department of Labor is pleased to be a co-sponsor of this Forum in partnership with other agencies in the Departments of Transportation, Education, and Health and Human Services. Letters to Governors have been sent from the four Secretaries asking teams of three to five senior decision-makers to attend the Forum, including a representative of the Workforce Investment Board. A copy of the letter is attached for your information.